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Title: The Covenants And The Covenanters
       Covenants, Sermons, and Documents of the Covenanted Reformation

Author: Various

Editor: James Kerr

Release Date: August 22, 2006 [EBook #19100]

Language: English

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[Transcriber's Note: All items in the Errata have been corrected in the
text, however the Errata has still been included for completeness.]


[Illustration: THE GRASSMARKET, EDINBURGH.]

THE COVENANTS
AND
THE COVENANTERS


COVENANTS, SERMONS, AND DOCUMENTS
OF
THE COVENANTED REFORMATION.
_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS._


INTRODUCTION ON THE NATIONAL COVENANTS
BY
REV. JAMES KERR, D.D., GLASGOW


EDINBURGH:
R.W. HUNTER, GEORGE IV. BRIDGE.




THE COVENANTS AND THE COVENANTERS.

[Illustration]




PREFATORY NOTE.


The Covenants, Sermons, and Papers in this volume carry the readers back
to some of the brightest periods of Scottish history. They mark
important events in that great struggle by which these three kingdoms
were emancipated from the despotisms of Pope, Prince, and Prelate, and
an inheritance of liberty secured for these Islands of the Sea. The
whole achievements of the heroes of the battlefields are comprehended
under that phrase of Reformers and Martyrs, "The Covenanted Work of
Reformation." The attainments of those stirring times were bound
together by the Covenants, as by rings of gold.

The Sermons here were the product of the ripe thought of the main
actors in the various scenes--men of piety, learning, and renown.
Hence, the nature, objects, and benefits of personal and national
Covenanting are exhibited in a manner fitted to attract to that
ordinance the minds and hearts of men. The readers can well believe
the statement of Livingstone, who was present at several ceremonies of
covenant-renovation: "I never saw such motions from the Spirit of God. I
have seen more than a thousand persons all at once lifting up their
hands, and the tears falling down from their eyes." In the presence of
the defences of the Covenants as deeds, by these preachers, the baseless
aspersions of novelists and theologues fade out into oblivion.

True Christians must, as they ponder these productions, be convinced
that the Covenanters were men of intense faith and seraphic fervour, and
their own hearts will burn as they catch the heavenly flame. Members of
the Church of Christ will be stirred to nobler efforts for the Kingdom
of their Lord as they meditate on the heroism of those who were the
"chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof;" and they will behold with
wonder that "to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle that she
might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished
for a time and times and half a time, from the face of the serpent." And
Statesmen will discover how Princes, Parliaments, and Peoples united in
the hearty surrender of themselves to the Prince of the kings and
kingdoms of the earth; and will be aroused to promote that policy of
Christian Statesmanship which, illustrating the purpose and will of God,
the Father, shall liberate Parliaments and nations from the bonds of
false religions, and assert for them those liberties and honours which
spring from the enthronement of the Son of Man, as King of kings and
Lord of lords.

This volume of documents of olden times is sent out on a mission of
Revival of Religion, personal and national, in the present times. It
would do a noble work if it helped to humble classes and masses, and led
them to return as one man to that God in covenant from Whom all have
gone so far away. A national movement, in penitence and faith, for the
repeal of the Acts Rescissory and the recognition of the National
Covenants would be as life from the dead throughout the British Empire.
The people and rulers of these dominions shall yet behold the brilliancy
of the Redeemer's crowns; and shall, by universal consent, exalt Him who
rules in imperial majesty over the entire universe of God. For, "The
seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying,
The kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of
His Christ."

GLASGOW, _December, 1895_.




_ERRATA._

Page 29, line 8, instead of "1745," _read_ 1712.

Page 29, line 10, instead of "Crawfordjohn," _read_ Auchensaugh, near
Douglas.




CONTENTS.

                                                        PAGE
PREFATORY NOTE,                                            5

THE NATIONAL COVENANTS--_Introduction_,                   11


THE NATIONAL COVENANT--

    THE NATIONAL COVENANT, OR CONFESSION OF FAITH,        39

    EXHORTATION TO LORDS OF COUNCIL,                      52

    SERMON AT ST. ANDREWS. By Alexander Henderson,        54

    EXHORTATION AT INVERNESS. By Andrew Cant,             77

    SERMON AT GLASGOW. By Andrew Cant,                    83

    SERMON AT EDINBURGH. By Andrew Cant,                 109


THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT--

    THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT,                      131

    ACT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY,                             136

    EXHORTATION AT WESTMINSTER. By Philip Nye,           138

    ADDRESS AT WESTMINSTER. By Alexander Henderson,      151

    SERMON AT WESTMINSTER. By Thomas Coleman,            159

    SERMON AT WESTMINSTER. By Joseph Caryl,              190

    SERMON AT LONDON. By Thomas Case,                    228

    SERMON AT LONDON. By Thomas Case,                    265

    ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS AND COMMONS,                  303

    EXHORTATION BY THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY,             307

    SERMON AT LONDON. By Edmund Calamy,                  312


THE NATIONAL COVENANTS--

    CORONATION SERMON AT SCONE. By Robert Douglas,       349

    CHARLES II, TAKING THE COVENANTS,                    386

    THE ACTS RESCISSORY,                                 398

    THE TORWOOD EXCOMMUNICATION,                         408

    ACT AGAINST CONVENTICLES,                            412

    THE SANQUHAR DECLARATION,                            416

    PROTESTATION AGAINST THE UNION,                      419

    SECESSION FROM THE REVOLUTION CHURCH,                434




_Illustrations._

THE GRASSMARKET, EDINBURGH,                   _Frontispiece_

GREYFRIARS CHURCH, EDINBURGH,                             38

ST. MARGARETS AND THE ABBEY, WESTMINSTER,                130




THE NATIONAL COVENANTS


Every person who enters rightly into covenant with God is on the pathway
to gladness and honour. He comes into sympathy with Him who from
eternity made a covenant with His chosen. He gives joy to Him who loves
to see His people even touch the hem of His garments, or eagerly grasp
His Omnipotent hand. The Spirit of God on the heart of the believer
draws him into the firmest attachment to the Beloved. Under His gracious
influence, the bonds of prejudice against covenanting are as green withs
and the covenanter stands forth in liberty and in power. So also, when
the people of a kingdom together come into covenant with the Lord. In
the character of Israel as a covenanted people, there shines out a
special splendour. One of the most brilliant events in Judah's chequered
history is that in which, in the days of the good king Asa, "they
gathered themselves together to Jerusalem and entered into a covenant to
seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all
their soul; and all Judah rejoiced at the oath." More than any other
nation of modern times, the people of the British Isles resemble in
their covenant actings the people of Israel; and Scotland is the likest
to Judah. Certainly, Scotland's covenants with God were coronets on
Scotland's brow.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Scotland was a moral waste.
The Papacy, which had attained the zenith of its power on the
Continent, reigned in its supremacy throughout the land. In Europe,
indeed, there were some oases in the desolation, but here there were
"stretched out upon the kingdom the line of confusion and the stones of
emptiness." The chaos was as broad and deep as that of the Papal States
before the time of Victor Emanuel. By the presence of the Papacy, mind,
conscience, heart, were blasted; while ignorance, superstition,
iniquity, increased and prevailed. But the Lord that saw the affliction
of Israel in the land of the Pharaohs, was "the same yesterday"; and His
time of visitation was one of love. The first signs of the coming
deliverance were the martyr fires kindled to consume those who were
beginning to cry for liberty. The heroic efforts and successes of the
Reformers on the Continent, in the presence of Papal bulls and
inquisitions, were a trumpet call to independence to the people of this
priest-cursed land; and many responded right nobly, ready to stand amid
the faggots at the stake rather than bear the iron heel that bruised
them.

Those valiant men were led to bind themselves together in "bands," or
covenants, and together to God, in prosecution of their aims. At Dun, in
1556, they entered into a "Band" in which they vowed to "refuse all
society with idolatry." At Edinburgh, in 1557, they entered into "ane
Godlie Band," vowing that "we, by His grace, shall, with all diligence,
continually apply our whole power, substance, and our very lives to
maintain, set forward and establish the most blessed Word of God." At
Perth, in 1559, they entered into covenant "to put away all things that
dishonour His name, that God may be truly and purely worshipped." At
Edinburgh, in 1560, they entered into covenant "to procure, by all means
possible, that the truth of God's Word may have free passage within this
realm." And these covenants were soon followed by the Confession of
Faith prepared by Knox and five other Reformers, and acknowledged by the
three Estates as "wholesome and sound doctrine grounded upon the
infallible truth of God;" by an Act abolishing the "jurisdiction of the
bishop of Rome within this realme," and forbidding "title or right by
the said bishop of Rome or his sect to anything within this realme," and
by the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Seven years
thereafter, 1569, the Parliament recognised, by specific Act, the
reformed Church of Scotland as "the only true and holy kirk of Jesus
Christ within this realm." The young Church of Scotland was based on the
Word of God, anti-papal, free, reformed, and covenanting, and in that
character acknowledged by the State. "At this time," writes D'Aubigne,
"the reformed church was recognised and established by the State--a
triumph similar to that of Christianity when under Constantine the
religion of the Crucified One ascended the throne of the Cęsars." In
spite of the vacillating policy of the King and Parliament, and their
repeated attempts to impose the order of bishops on the Church, the
reformation proceeded steadily, and a great advance was reached by the
National Covenant of 1580.

This National Covenant, or Second Confession of Faith, was prepared by
John Craig, minister of Holyrood House. Its original title was "Ane
Short and Generall Confession of the True Christiane Faith and
Religione, according to God's verde and Actis of our Perlamentis,
subscryved by the Kingis Majestie and his Household, with sindrie
otheris, to the glorie of God and good example of all men, att
Edinburghe, the 28 day of Januare, 1580, and 14 yeare of his Majestie's
reigne." The immediate occasion of this memorable transaction was the
discovery of a secret dispensation from the Pope consenting to the
profession of the reformed religion by Roman Catholics, but instructing
them to use all their influence in promotion of the "ancient faith."
Though the King was still in sympathy to some degree with the policy of
Rome against the "new faith," he could not dare to resist the
indignation of the people against Romish intrigues, and their demand for
a national bond as a means of defence. By the National Covenant, the
Covenanters declared their belief "in the true Christian faith and
religion, revealed by the blessed evangel, and received by the Kirk of
Scotland, as God's eternal truth and only ground of our Salvation;"
renounced "all kinds of Papistry," its authority, dogmas, rites and
decrees, and pledged themselves to maintain "the King's majesty, in the
defence of Christ, against all enemies within this realm or without." It
was signed by the King and the Privy Council and throughout the kingdom,
and was subscribed again in 1590 and 1596. "The Kirk of Scotland," wrote
Calderwood, "was now come to her perfection and the greatest puritie
that ever she attained unto, both in doctrine and discipline, so that
her beautie was admirable to forraine kirks. The assemblies of the
sancts were never so glorious." This period was the meridian of the
first Reformation.

But the time of Scotland's rest and joy was short indeed. Ere the
sixteenth century opened, the ecclesiastical edifice, raised by Knox,
the Melvilles and other reformers, was almost in ruins. The monarch had
been taught in his youth the doctrine of the divine right of kings, and
he was now determined to assert it. Both church and state must be laid
in the dust before his absolute will. Both had been delivered from a
popedom on the banks of the Tiber, now they will be confronted by a
popedom on the banks of the Thames; and the despotism of the Pope shall
be even exceeded by the despotism of the Prince. Scotland is now to be
the scene of a struggle with issues more momentous than any ever waged
on any field of battle. Shall civil and religious liberty be saved from
captivity by tyrants on the throne? Shall free assemblies and free
parliaments be extinguished in the land that has, by its people and its
Parliament, abolished the authority of Rome and taken its National
Covenant with God? For nearly a hundred years this conflict was destined
to continue till, at the Revolution Settlement, the divine right of
kings was banished the realm.

Kingcraft forthwith commenced its work of demolition and proceeded to
deliver its blows in rapid succession. Summoning to its aid Laud and
other sycophantic counsellors, it subtly resolved to lay its hand on the
very conscience of the church. Mitres were offered some of her more
prominent ministers, for Charles I. knew that Presbyterianism is the
friend of civil freedom, and that Prelacy in the Church will more
readily consent to despotism in the State. The "Black Acts" were passed
confirming the "king's royal power over all states and subjects within
this realm," discharging all assemblies held "without our Sovereign
Lord's special licence and commandment," and requiring ministers to
acknowledge the ecclesiastical superiority of bishops. The assembly was
induced to adopt a proposal for the appointment of a number of
commissioners to sit and vote in Parliament, become members of the Privy
Council, and Lords of Session; and such honours would not readily be
declined. Then came the Court of High Commission, instituted for the
purpose of compelling the "faithful" ministers to acknowledge the
bishops appointed by the king--a court called into existence by royal
proclamation, "a sort of English Inquisition," writes Dr. M'Crie,
"composed of prelates, noblemen, knights, and ministers, and possessing
the combined power of a civil and ecclesiastical tribunal." After this
came the Act giving full legal status to the "Anti-Christian hierarchy"
of Episcopacy in Scotland; the formal consecration of the first Scottish
prelates; the five articles of Perth; the Canons and Constitutions
Ecclesiastical--a complete code of laws for the Church issued without
any consultation with the representatives of the Church; an Act charging
all His Majesty's subjects to conform to the order of worship
prescribed by him, and the Semi-Popish Book of Common Prayer and
Administration of the Sacraments which was imposed upon all parishes and
ministers. By these and other measures, the sovereign impiously assumed
that spiritual power which belonged to Christ alone, as King and Head of
the Church. Here, in its worst form, was "the absolutism that had so
long threatened the extinction of their liberties; here was the heel of
despotism openly planted on the neck of their Church, and the crown
openly torn from the brow of Christ, her only King."

During all these years, the Reformers were resisting with courage the
assaults of the enemy. At times there were secessions from their ranks
when, under the bribes and threats of prince and prelate, some
ingloriously succumbed. But, as Renwick said later in the struggle, "the
loss of the men was not the loss of the cause." The champions of the
Reformation, led by Andrew Melville, feared not to arraign that monarch
who once told his bishops that "now he had put the sword into their
hands they should not let it rust." They tabled petitions, published
protests, obtained interviews, but all proved powerless to arrest the
career of those who were bent on the annihilation of the Church, and the
establishment on its ruins of the royal Supremacy. In one of their
protests, they call upon the Estates to "advance the building of the
house of God, remembering always that there is no absolute and undoubted
authority in the world excepting the sovereign authority of Christ the
King, to whom it belongeth as properly to rule the Kirk according to the
good pleasure of His own will, as it belongeth to Him to save the Kirk
by the merit of His own sufferings." The attempt to impose Laud's
liturgy gave opportunity for an outburst of the slumbering flame of
discontent. Janet Geddes flung a stool at the head of the officiating
Dean, and the tumult that ensued extended far and wide. A tablet,
recently erected to her memory in St. Giles, states that "she struck the
first blow in the great struggle for freedom of conscience." The
proclamation by the Council of the State, condemning all meetings
against the Episcopal Canons and Service Book, brought the Reformers
accessions from all parts of the kingdom. Could an oppressed people bear
the tyranny longer? But, will they take up arms and scatter carnage and
blood throughout the land? No, their weapons will not be carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. They will go to
the Covenant God of the kingdom, and they will stand before Him, saying,
"Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse." Scotland will
renew her covenant with God.

The National Covenant of 1580 was produced. An addition was made, in two
parts. The part summarizing the Acts of Parliament, condemning the
papacy and ratifying the confessions of the Church, was drafted by
Warriston; that with special religious articles for the time was by
Henderson. The spot chosen for the solemnities of the first subscription
was the Churchyard of Greyfriars, Edinburgh. "The selection," writes the
historiographer-royal for Scotland, "showed a sound taste for the
picturesque. The graveyard in which their ancestors have been laid from
time immemorial stirs the hearts of men. The old Gothic Church of the
Friary was then existing; and landscape art in Edinburgh has by repeated
efforts established the opinion that from that spot we have the grandest
view of the precipices of the Castle and the national fortress crowning
them. It seemed a homage to that elevating influence of grand external
conditions which the actors in the scene were so vehemently
repudiating." In that memorable spot the Reformers gathered "the
legitimate charters" of their nation into one document and presented
them before heaven. Johnston unrolled the parchment in which these
Scottish charters were inscribed, and read them in a clear, calm voice.
"When he had finished, all was still as the grave. But the silence was
soon broken. An aged man of noble air was seen advancing. He came
forward slowly, and deep emotion was visible in his venerable features.
He took up the pen with a trembling hand and signed the document. A
general movement now took place. All the Presbyterians in the Church
pressed forward to the Covenant and subscribed their names. But this was
not enough; a whole nation was waiting. The immense parchment was
carried into the churchyard and spread out on a large tombstone to
receive on this expressive table the signature of the Church. Scotland
had never beheld a day like that." "This," says Henderson, "was the day
of the Lord's power, in which multitudes offered themselves most
willingly, like dewdrops of the morning. This was, indeed, the great day
of Israel, wherein the arm of the Lord was revealed--the day of the
Redeemer's strength, on which the princes of the people assembled to
swear their allegiance to the King of kings." Charles I. understood well
the force of that mighty movement when, on hearing of it, he said, "I
have no more power in Scotland than a Doge of Venice." The renewal of
that covenant, 28th February, 1638, was a thunderbolt against despotism
in Scotland, and the world over. "The chariots of God are twenty
thousand."

The covenant was transcribed into hundreds of copies, carried throughout
the country from north to south and east to west, and subscribed
everywhere. The spirit that thrilled the thousands filling and
overflowing Greyfriars Church and churchyard, spread with rapidity over
the whole land. It combined the "whole nation into one mighty phalanx of
incalculable energy." The last sparks of the King's fury burst out in
secret instructions to his followers to use all power against the
"refractory and seditious," and in a threat to send his army and fleet
to Scotland, but these soon died away. The "refractory and seditious"
king eventually surrendered to the Covenanters, abolished courts,
canons, liturgies, and articles, and consented to the calling of a
General Assembly. This was the first free General Assembly of the Church
of Scotland for the last forty two years. It was held in Glasgow, on
21st November, 1638; and its work in the overthrow of Prelacy and the
royal supremacy and in the re-assertion of the spiritual independence of
the Church, was one of the most signal successes in the still
progressing conflict of the second Reformation.

Meanwhile, Charles II. was endeavouring to secure the recognition of his
absolute monarchy in England. There also he rigorously demanded
submission to despotic claims. By abolishing Parliaments, annulling
charters, appointing the star chamber, he introduced a reign of terror.
In the room of those legislative bulwarks of liberty, which the nation
had constructed through the skill and experience of generations, a "grim
tyranny," writes Dr. Wylie, "reared its gaunt form, with the terrible
accompaniments of star chamber, pillory, and branding irons. It reminded
one of sunset in the tropics. There the luminary of the day goes down at
a plunge into the dark. So had the day of liberty in England gone down
at a stride into the night of tyranny." The oppressed people turned to
the Covenanters of Scotland for sympathy and counsel. The negotiations
resulted in the preparation of an international league in defence of
religion and liberty. Against the banner of the King they raised the
banner of the Covenant. Alexander Henderson drafted the new Bond. The
document breathed the spirit of the National Covenant of Greyfriars,
condemned the Papal and Prelatic system, pled for a constitutional
monarchy, and outlined a comprehensive programme for future efforts in
extending the principles of the Reformation. On September 25, 1643, it
was subscribed in St. Margarets Church, Westminster. The members of
Parliament in England and the Westminster Assembly of Divines stood with
uplifted hands, and, as article after article was read, they took this
Oath to God. The Commissioners from Scotland to the Westminster Assembly
united with the people of England in the solemnity of the day. Thus the
representatives of the two nations stood before the Lord. This was the
Solemn League and Covenant, "the noblest in its essential features,"
writes Hetherington, "of all that are recorded among the international
transactions of the world." The Parliament and Westminster Assembly
issued instructions for its subscription throughout the kingdom. The
classes and the masses in England, Scotland, and Ireland received it
with gladness. In the face of a despotism unexampled in the history of
these lands, high and low, rich and poor, bowed themselves as one before
the throne of God. "For at that time day by day there came to David to
help him, until it was a great host like the host of God." Through this
League and Covenant, the people of the British Isles were protected by
Omnipotence, and were as invincible against the despotic forces that
assailed them as were the white cliffs of their native shores against
the huge galleons of the invincible Armada.

    "To Thine own people, with Thine arm,
      Thou didst redemption bring;
    To Jacob's sons and to the tribes
      Of Joseph that do spring."

These Covenants were prepared and subscribed in a spirit of deep piety.
But for the sterling spirituality of the Reformers there would never
have been a Covenanted Reformation. The work of Covenanting is itself a
lofty spiritual exercise, and requires a people possessing much of the
Spirit of the living God. Every public act for the sake of Christ should
be the outcome of an impassioned devotion. The reading of even the scant
records of those times of Covenanting, telling of the prayers, and
tears, and love, and courage of those who gave themselves to God, is
fitted to inspire the coldest heart with noblest emotions. Their inward
piety made them men of power, and enabled them to bear down every
barrier to the kingdom of their Lord erected by the craft of prince and
priest. It is when Israel would call her Lord, Ishi, my Husband, that
"the names of Baalim would be taken out of her mouth and be remembered
no more." It was when the Christians of the Mearns had communion at "the
table of the Lord Jesus," ministered by Knox, that they "banded
themselves to the uttermost of their power to maintain the true
preaching of the Evangel of Christ." The historian, Burton, describes
the movement that resulted in the subscription of the National Covenant
as the fruit of "a great religious revival," and the Reformation as "the
great revival." And Kirkton says, "I verily believe there were more
souls converted to Christ in that short time than in any other season
since the Reformation." Their intense piety prepared the Covenanters for
the persecutions to follow and for crowns of martyrdom. In and around
their whole Covenanting procedure, there was the atmosphere of a
paradise of communion with God.

These Covenants exhibited the great ecclesiastical breadth of the
Covenanters. The enthronement of the Word of God over the Church was one
of the commanding objects of the Reformers. If only the Church would
hear and honour Christ, her King, speaking in that Word, then would she
be clothed with the sun, and have on her head a crown of twelve stars.
The Reformers resolutely set themselves to apply the Word to the Church,
in all her departments; she must be such an institution as her Lord had
instructed. The will of priest, and prince, and presbyter, and people,
must be set aside in the presence of the will of her sole Sovereign. The
works of demolition and reconstruction must go on together. Built
according to the design of her Lord, her bulwarks, and towers, and
palaces shall command the admiration of the world. The pattern was not
taken from Rome, nor "even from Geneva, but from the blessed Word of
God." No quarter shall be given to hierarchy of Pope or prelate in the
government of the Church, to the "commandments of men" in the doctrine
of the Church, or to unscriptural rites in the worship of the Church. So
great was their success that the Reformers could say that they "had
borrowed nothing from the border of Rome," and had "nothing that ever
flowed from the man of sin." Often the battle raged most fiercely round
the standard of the independence of the Church, but ever the Covenanters
emerged from the struggle victorious. Valorously did they maintain that
Christ ought to "bear the glory of ruling His own kingdom, the Church,"
and fearlessly they defied the monarchs in their invasions of Messiah's
rights. Besides, they were not satisfied with the attainment of a united
Church in their own kingdom alone. They were filled with the spirit of
the Saviour's prayer, "That they all may be one." In the present times,
those who publicly contend for the reunion of a "few scattered
fragments" of the Reformed Church are belauded as men of large hearts
and liberal aims. The Covenanters embodied in their Solemn League and
Covenant an engagement to "bring the Churches of God in the three
kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity;" and they also
subsequently included the Churches on the Continent in their efforts for
ecclesiastical union. For the purposes of these ecclesiastical unions,
the Westminster Assembly sat for five years in Westminster, after
signing the Solemn League, and framed a basis for union in the standards
they produced--which still testify that the members of that Assembly
were in advance of their times. Yes, the Covenanters were not narrow,
sectarian, bigoted; but large, liberal, Catholic.

These Covenants were deeds of lofty imperial significance. The
reformation of the Church, however complete, would have been a limited
Reformation. There are two powers ordained of God and both must be
reformed. The comprehensive aims of the Covenanters embraced both State
and Church. Their deeds were civil as well as ecclesiastical. A Church
thoroughly reformed and Christian in a State unreformed and
anti-Christian, would never have satisfied the Reformers. The State also
must be no longer a vassal of the Pope, it must be a servant of the
blessed and only Potentate. God in His word here also as in the Church
must be joyfully granted the exclusive supremacy. The Covenanters vowed
to defend the King in the defence and preservation of the reformed
religion. They secured the recognition of the Church by Parliament. The
members of Parliament themselves became Covenanters. In short,
Christianity pervaded and adorned the constitution and administration of
civil government in the United Kingdom. The Covenanters were convinced
that no power, except that provided by the Word of God, could possibly
resist the arbitrary claims of the monarchs, secure the safety of the
State, and promote civil liberty in the land. Religion in the realm of
citizenship is the very crown of any realm. In the face of the
despotisms of Pope and Monarch, it would not have been surprising had
the Covenanters invented and endeavoured to apply to the State the
modern theory of religious equality, which denies the right of the State
to even acknowledge the Prince of the kings of the earth. If ever they
dreamt of such a theory, their thought of the supremacy of Jesus would
make it vanish as a dream. Much less would they ever admit the
possibility of deliverance by the theory of a concurrent recognition of
all religions, as this would lower a nation to the position of
heathenism with its "gods many," and would soon involve the strongest
empire in disaster. Papalism in the State in the ascendancy, absolute
Monarchism in the State, Secularism in the State, Polytheism in the
State--these are four despotisms, and must be flung with detestation out
of all Christian lands. The State that is not on the side of Christ, and
Christ alone, is in antagonism to all the moral forces of the universe.
Its throne is against the throne of the Highest. The Scottish
Covenanters placed the crown of the State on the Head of its rightful
Monarch, and so lifted their kingdom to imperial grandeur.

There are some spots of this world that have secured undying memorials,
as they have been stages for the settlement of questions of momentous
importance in the destinies of nations. There is Marathon in Greece,
Waterloo in France, Sadowa in Austria, and Trafalgar on the sea, but
probably the scenes associated with these pale in glory in the presence
of Greyfriars and Westminster, where nations won unparalleled victories
in the surrender of themselves to their Covenant God. These two spots
were the earthly centres of spiritual movements of mighty magnitude, and
possess in the eyes of the God of Heaven and of the principalities about
His Throne a splendour not eclipsed by any that ever shone on a
battlefield. When the day of millennial glory comes, the people of the
new Era will not look to the Sadowas and the Sedans, but to such spots
as these where the greatest heroes of the pre-millennial times reflected
millennial light and anticipated millennial triumphs. For there, by an
army without sword or spear, the absolutism of Monarchies and the
tyranny of Hierarchies were scattered like chaff before the wind. As the
Covenanters entered into and rejoiced in their vows to God, the
Imperialism of King Jesus conquered the Imperialism which prince and
priest had been enforcing with rigour; and this Imperialism shall be in
the ascendancy yet the world over when the empires of earth shall crown
the Christ of God as King of the Church and King of nations.

But the Covenanters have scarce time to estimate and enjoy the benefits
of their conquests before a tempest burst forth suddenly and threatened
the destruction of all the attainments of the past. In a moment of
national infatuation the Stuart dynasty was restored to the throne, and
Charles II. instantly proceeded to set up once more the Dagon of the
Royal Supremacy and enforce its recognition by all his power. On two
occasions he had subscribed the Solemn League, and he had issued
instructions in its favour, professing warm admiration of both Covenants
and of the Reformation. But now the perjured monarch employed all his
craft and power to overthrow the whole Covenanted Reformation in Church
and State. Parliament, the slave of his behests, passed the Act of
Supremacy, giving legislative sanction to all the rights he claimed. The
Acts Rescissory followed, declaring the Covenants unlawful and seditious
deeds, and repealing all Parliamentary laws in their favour. Then came
the abolition of Presbyterianism, Indulgences, the restoration of
Prelacy, the appointment of High Commission Courts, the ejection of all
ministers who would not obey the royal mandates, and the erection of
scaffolds. The monarch seemed determined to extinguish every spark of
liberty in the kingdom. The reign of peace was supplanted by a reign of
terror. The Covenants were broken, burnt, buried, by public orders. The
Covenanters met to worship God in the moorlands and dells, setting a
watch for the dragoons of Claverhouse. Thousands upon thousands of the
noblest patriots were imprisoned, tortured, mangled, shot. At times
their indignation burst forth through arms, as at Rullion Green,
Drumclog, and Bothwell Bridge. Their most brilliant victories were on
the scaffold when they passed triumphantly to the crown; for there was
"a noble army" of martyrs, from Argyle the proto-martyr of the "Killing
times," down to the youthful Renwick, last of the white-robed throng.
The ruin wrought by Charles I. in England "we have likened," says Dr.
Wylie, "to a tropical sunset, where night follows day at a single
stride. But the fall of Scotland into the abyss of oppression and
suffering under Charles II. was like the disastrous eclipse of the sun
in his meridian height, bringing dismal night over the shuddering earth
at the hour of noon."

    "The hills with the deep mournful music were ringing,
    The curlew and plover in concert were singing;
    But the melody died 'midst derision and laughter,
    As the hosts of ungodly rushed on to the slaughter.

    "When the righteous had fallen and the combat had ended,
    A chariot of fire through the dark cloud descended;
    The drivers were angels on horses of whiteness,
    And its burning wheels turned on axles of brightness.

    "On the arch of the rainbow the chariot is gliding;
    Through the paths of the thunder the horsemen are riding;
    Glide swiftly, bright spirits, the prize is before you,
    A crown never fading, a kingdom of glory."

Throughout the long thirty years of persecution, the decimated
Covenanters still lived. The Banner for Christ's Crown and Covenant was
still waved by them through the blood-stained land. Oftentimes they
issued declarations and protests against the tyranny of their
oppressors, many of which concluded with those inspiriting words at the
close of the last of them, "Let King Jesus reign and all His enemies be
scattered." The most famous of these papers was the Sanquhar
Declaration. On the 22nd of June, 1680, twenty horsemen rode into the
burgh of Sanquhar, and at the market cross read their declaration, in
which they "disowned Charles Stuart that has been reigning (or rather
tyrannizing as we may say) on the throne of Britain these years bygone,
as having any right, title to, or interest in the said Crown of Scotland
for government, as forfeited several years since by his perjury and
breach of Covenant both to God and His Kirk, and usurpation of His Crown
and Royal Prerogatives therein." That courageous act of those twenty
patriots proclaimed the doom of the House of Stuart.

    "Men called it rash, perhaps it was crime:
    Their deed flashed out God's will, an hour before the time."

A few years afterwards, the nations of England and Scotland endorsed the
action of Richard Cameron and his compatriots. The blood of Guthrie, and
Cargill, and MacKail had cried for vengeance, and the God of the
Covenanters hurled the Stuart dynasty from the throne. "Alas! is it not
true?" writes Carlyle in his _Heroes_, "that many men in the van do
always, like Russian soldiers, march into the ditch of Schwiednitz, and
fill it up with their dead bodies, that the rear may pass over them
dry-shod, and gain the honour? How many earnest, rugged Cromwells,
Knoxes, poor peasant Covenanters, wrestling, battling for very life, in
rough, miry places, have to struggle and suffer and fall, greatly
censured, bemired, before a beautiful Revolution of eighty-eight can
step over them in official pumps and silk stockings, with universal
three-times-three!"

The stedfast followers of the Covenanters expected that, on the
cessation of the persecution, there would be the restoration of the
whole Covenanted Reformation in Church and State. But their just
expectations were doomed to bitter disappointment. Neither by Church nor
State was any proposal ever seriously entertained of renewing the
national Covenants with God, as at the commencement of the Second
Reformation. Instead, the Acts Rescissory were permitted to remain on
the Statute-book, and the Covenants to lie under the infamy to which the
King and the Royalists had consigned them. The State exerted an Erastian
control of the Church, and the Church yielded submission. Her standards
were assigned her before she met; her assemblies were summoned and
prorogued at the sovereign's pleasure; Presbyterianism was established,
not because it possessed a _jus divinum_ but because the people willed
it; her government was controlled through the admission into her
ministry, by royal request, of many who had accepted indulgences and
were supporters of Prelacy. The whole period of the Second Reformation
was almost annihilated by the settlement of the Church, not according to
the periods, 1638 and 1643, but according to 1592. The Acts of the
Assemblies of the Revolution Church never once mention the Solemn League
and Covenant. Ministers who pled for its recognition exposed themselves
to the censures of their brethren. An attempt by the Church, soon after
the Revolution to assert the supremacy of Christ and the Church's
independence under Him, issued in the dissolution of the Assembly by the
royal Commissioner. And this departure of the Church and State at the
Revolution was strikingly and sadly endorsed when, at the Union with
England, Scotland consented that the Prelatic Establishment in England
should be allowed to remain "inviolable for ever." A few "stones had
been gathered from the wreck of the Reformation to be incorporated with
the new structure, but the venerable fabric itself was left in ruins."

Yes! the Revolution came but not the Reformation. The sword was returned
to its scabbard, but Church and State did not return to their Covenant
God. Into sympathy and fellowship with institutions founded on
principles subversive of those they had vowed to maintain, the faithful
followers of the Reformers and Martyrs could not enter. The banner for
Christ's Crown and Covenant had waved over the fields of Scotland when
the storms of persecution had raged most fiercely, and how could they be
justified in dropping it now when the God of Zion was pleased to command
a calm. The minority who thus preserved an unbroken relationship with
the pre-Revolution and Martyr period continued to meet in "Societies"
for sixteen years, when they were joined by a minister--Rev. John
M'Millan--who was driven out of the Revolution Church because of his
testimony for the whole Covenanted Reformation. Some years afterwards,
another minister espoused the cause then represented by Mr. M'Millan and
the United Societies, and this union resulted in the constitution of the
Reformed Presbytery. Two years afterwards, in 1712, the members of the
Reformed Presbyterian Church engaged in the work of Covenant Renovation,
at Auchensaugh, near Douglas, in Lanarkshire. Since that time this
Church has had an unbroken history, excepting a disruption in 1863, when
a majority departed from her distinctive position.

But what is the bearing of Scotland's Covenanted Reformation of three
centuries ago, on the Scotland of the present times? Has it no
instruction for all times? Is the whole prolonged struggle, with all its
chequered scenes, but a panorama on which spectators may gaze with but
passing emotions? Is it all but a story with interest, however
thrilling, for the study of the antiquarian? If so then the whole
contendings of Reformers and Covenanters and Martyrs sink into
insignificance indeed; they have been assigned a magnitude far beyond
their desert. If the doctrines and principles for whose application in
Church and State they fought and suffered, were unscriptural, then let
an enlightened posterity bury with shame the story of their warfare. Or,
if they were of mere temporary importance, then the Covenanters merit no
higher admiration than that accorded to those who, like the Armenians
now in Turkey, cry out against the oppressions of the civil power. But
these doctrines and principles were brought from the Word of God and
possess imperishable excellency. Their glory was not temporal; it is
eternal. And they shall yet undergo a resurrection and receive
universally a joyous recognition.

The obligation of these national Covenants on the British nation still
has been oftentimes demonstrated by indisputable arguments. The Word of
God teaches in the most pointed manner this principle of devolving
Covenant obligation. The God of Israel threatened His people with
chastisement for breaking the Covenant He had made with their fathers
four hundred years before. The Covenanters themselves bound their
posterity to God by express words in their bonds. The renovation of
Covenants at various times proceeded on this principle. In the time of
persecution, the sufferers again and again declared that they and others
were bound by the vows of their fathers. "God hath laid engagements upon
Scotland," said Argyle on the scaffold, "we are tied by Covenants to
religion and Reformation; and it passeth the power of all the
magistrates under heaven to absolve from the oath of God." The
scriptural character of their contents infers the perpetual obligation
of these Covenants. All who accept the Scriptures as the Word of God,
must renounce the errors condemned by the Covenants and contend for the
truths those who subscribed them pledged themselves to maintain. No
Christian should ever dare to seek relief from the claims of Christ; it
is his honour to acknowledge and live and die for them. These deeds were
as national as any in the statute-book and therefore they are obligatory
still, for the nation in its corporate character is the same now as
three hundred years ago. Their perpetual obligation may be resisted, as
it often is, on the plea that a people have no right to bind posterity.
But should such a plea be declared valid, then society would be thrown
into the wildest disorder and temporal ruin would overtake millions.
Heirs could be justified in refusing to fulfil the instructions of
testators; young people could condemn the baptismal vows taken by
parents; governments and cabinets could tear up the treaties of their
predecessors; and the nation itself could repudiate the national debt.
Those who enter into the possession of valuable estates, secured for
them by the toil and struggles of ancestry, do not renounce their
estates because they themselves were not consulted in the execution of
the title deeds. These deeds of the Covenanters, and the heritage
secured by them, were obtained through the noblest sacrifices. They were
deeds presented before the Throne, and registered in the Court of
heaven, and those who repudiate them incur the risk of an awful
forfeiture.

The present conditions in Church and State throughout the British Isles,
force upon the minds of all who admire the Reformation the facts that
the doctrines and principles of those Reformations are even now ignored
and despised, and that the systems which were cast out by the whole
nation through their Covenants are now in power. The objects sought by
the Covenants have not yet been realized. In several sad respects, both
Church and State are in positions of acute antagonism to those great
catholic objects. An ecclesiastical supremacy in the British sovereign
rears its head over these Covenanted kingdoms; for, as Blackstone
writes, this supremacy is "an inherent right of the British Crown." The
"Anti-Christian" hierarchy of Prelacy is implanted in the national
constitution and sustained by the whole prestige of the realm. Under its
lordly bewitchery, Erastianism prevails in the Established Churches of
the kingdom. The Oath of Allegiance implicates all who take it in an
acknowledgment of the ecclesiastical supremacy of the sovereign as "by
law established," and this Oath must be taken by every member of
Parliament before he can sit and vote in the House, under a penalty of
five hundred pounds. The basis of qualification for membership in
Parliament has been so much altered in recent times that Roman
Catholics, atheists, and now idolaters are admitted--changes which have
been demanded by the vast majority of the non-established Churches, who
are pleading for the exclusion of religion from all State institutions.
The Papacy, through its various agencies, is in receipt of more than a
million and a quarter pounds annually from the national funds. A
wide-spread reaction in favour of the Romish religion is going forward,
and is being powerfully assisted by the Romanizing movement in the
Church of England, and the Ritualistic in the Presbyterian Churches
throughout the kingdom.

Had the two nations and their Churches adhered to their National
Covenants and the Solemn League and Covenant, and to the formularies
prepared by the international Assembly at Westminster, the lovers of the
Covenanted Reformation would not have had these portentous conditions to
deplore to-day. Would their adherence to those deeds and documents have
done them any dishonour? And would it not be to the lasting honour of
their posterity now, if a movement were originated and carried through
to reproduce with all possible fulness the scenes of the past--another
Greyfriars, Edinburgh, and another St. Margarets, Westminster. But, even
apart from the historical aspect of the whole matter, the question may,
in the presence of these monstrous evils, be pressed upon the attention
and heart of all the people throughout the land? What ought to be done
to remove these evils and avert the disaster which their continuance
must entail? What ought the British subject, if a patriot, do, in the
face of evils which threaten the ruin of his kingdom? What ought the
Protestant to do, in the presence of a government and administration
which are daily advancing the court of Rome to power? What the
Presbyterian, who cannot take the Oath of Allegiance without committing
himself to the hierarchy of Prelacy? What the Christian, in the presence
of systems in imperial politics which have already dethroned Christ and
are hastening to expel Him from all national institutions? Is there no
means by which the Christian citizen can exonerate himself from
national sins, and free himself of all responsibility for national
calamity? Must he still exercise his right to vote and give his support
to governments which, in the hands of both political parties, are
augmenting rather than diminishing the existing evils? If the members of
one political party secede from that party, when changes they cannot
accept are welcomed to their programme, and henceforth refuse them their
support at the polling-booth, would it not be proper that men, sensible
of the utter inadequacy of the performances of both parties to meet the
evils under which the nation lies, should stand aloof from both
government and opposition? The leading Unionists in Ireland again and
again declared that they could not possibly enter into the proposed
Parliament under Home Rule which would be set up in Dublin, and their
declarations awakened universal sympathy. For reasons similar, should
not all Christian electors refuse to identify themselves with a
constitution and government which are based on principles subversive of
independence and liberty? Protests against existing evils are not
sufficient. Practical political dissent is imperatively demanded in the
interests of patriotism and Christianity. If even one-tenth of the
electors in the United Kingdom prepared a paper of grievances, setting
forth the present dishonours done to Christ nationally, and calling for
the abandonment of all that is unscriptural in the public policy, and
the adoption of what is scriptural and honouring to Christ, and
accompany this manifesto with a declaration that they cannot violate
their convictions by identifying themselves with the government till
reforms be conceded, would not such a movement touch the mind and heart
of the nation as no question in party politics has done for generations?
Their attitude of separation would carry extraordinary dignity and
power. And they could plead too that the evils of which they complained
were abjured by the nation universally, when the National Covenants
were taken in Scotland, England, and Ireland, and when Sovereigns and
Members of Parliament again subscribed them as a condition of the high
offices to which they were called. How could they loyally support a
Constitution now so opposite to the ancient Scriptural and Covenanted
Constitution of the realm? The Reformed Presbyterian Churches of
Scotland and Ireland are the only Churches within the British Dominions
that take this position of political dissent. Their fathers took it at
the Revolution settlement, and they have maintained it all through these
centuries till now; and they have done so not because they love the
nation less, but Christ more. If this position were assumed by larger
numbers throughout the land, who knoweth whether they would "not come to
the kingdom for such a time as this?" "Shall the throne of iniquity have
fellowship with Thee, that frameth mischief by a law?" "Wherefore, come
out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord."

    "Hope thou not, then, earth's alliance,
      Take thy stand behind the cross;
    Fear, lest by unblest compliance,
      Thou transmute thy gold to dross.
    Stedfast in thy meek endurance,
      Prophesy in sackcloth on;
    Hast thou not the pledged assurance,
      Kings one day shall kiss the Son."

The popular acceptance of these doctrines and principles by the State
and the Churches at present, would imply a vast mental upheaval--a vast
moral revolution. But the best hopes and wishes for the nation at large
are that it will come and come soon, and the present evils, however
great, must not be allowed to produce a pessimistic tone. Very hopeless
seemed the prospects before the first Reformation, but that Reformation
came. Very hopeless seemed the prospects before the second Reformation,
but that Reformation came. And however dark the prospects now before a
third Reformation, that Reformation shall come! The world is nearing the
last stage of its history, as pointed out by Daniel in the dream of the
monarch of Babylon, prior to the overwhelming and triumphant progress of
the stone-kingdom, cut out of the mountain. That immense image of
Nebuchadnezzar, in its gold and silver and brass and iron, represented
those four vast monarchies which, in their successive periods, swayed
the government of the world. But in the fact that the image was in the
form of a man, the spirit that actuated these four empires of earth is
strikingly emphasized--the spirit of the idolatry of humanity. They were
all embodiments of the man-will: Babels for the incarnation of
heaven-daring human aspirations, and so carried within even their
colossal proportions the elements of confusion and death. A similar lust
of humanity for supremacy characterises those Kingdoms, represented by
the ten toes of the image, into which the fourth Roman monarchy parted.
But soon now, therefore, must sound out the last blast of the seventh
trumpet, when the idolatry of humanity in earth's kingdoms shall fall,
and the spirit and will of Christ pervade and beautify all the
institutions, ecclesiastical and imperial, of the world. Yes, the
kingdom "not in hands" shall shatter yet all the usurped rights of the
world-powers. There shall be a glorious reversal of the disaster in
Eden. That old Adamic principle of a legislative sovereignty in man,
which has convulsed the nations for six thousand years, shall be utterly
renounced and crucified the world over. Ruin irreparable shall befall
the entire empire of Satan, who shall be chained in his lake, as the
pealing note of that trumpet of God shall swell over all the earth. The
throne of God and the Lamb shall be erected by public consent as the
unifying source and centre for people, churches, and empires. The whole
world of humanity shall be redeemed from sin and its curse, be animated
by one Spirit, and triumphant in one Lord.

May not the true Christian, then, as he thinks of the idolatrous form in
the dream of the monarch of Babylon, and looks in the watches of the
night for the dawn, when Christ Jesus his Lord shall be honoured
throughout the world, behold rising before his eyes in his dream another
colossal figure; and its head is gold, and its breasts and arms gold,
and its belly and thighs gold, and its legs and feet and toes gold; yea
all of it "is as the most fine gold;" and the head representing the
powers of the great American Continents; the breast and arms, Asia; the
belly and thighs, Africa; the legs and feet, Europe, and the toes the
Isles of the Sea--the British Isles with the rest. And the form of the
great earth-filling figure is that of Jesus of Nazareth, the Man of
Jehovah's right hand. And lo! "I saw heaven opened, and I heard as it
were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord
God Omnipotent reigneth."

    "Come, then, and, added to Thy many crowns,
    Receive yet one, the crown of all the earth,
    Thou who alone art worthy! It was Thine
    By ancient covenant, ere nature's birth;
    And Thou hast made it Thine by purchase since
    And overpaid its value with Thy blood.
    Thy saints proclaim Thee King! And in their hearts
    Thy title is engraven with a pen
    Dipp'd in the fountain of eternal love."




THE NATIONAL COVENANT




[Illustration: GREYFRIARS CHURCHYARD, EDINBURGH.]

THE NATIONAL COVENANT

OR,

THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.


_Subscribed at first by the King's Majesty and his household, in the
year of God 1580; thereafter by persons of all ranks in the year of God
1581, by Ordinance of the Lords of Secret Council, and Acts of the
General Assembly; subscribed again by all sorts of persons in the year
of God 1590. Secondly: And with Ordinance of the Lords of Secret
Council, and Acts of General Assembly, subscribed again by all sorts of
persons in the year of God 1590. Thirdly: And with Ordinance of Council,
at the desire of the General Assembly; with their general bond for
maintenance of the true religion, and of the Kings Majesty; and now
subscribed in the year of God 1638, by us, Noblemen, Baronets,
Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons under subscribed; and,
together with a resolution and promise, for the causes after expressed,
to maintain the true, religion and King's Majesty, according to the
Confession aforesaid, and the Acts of Parliament, the so much of which
followeth:--_

We all and every one of us under-written, protest, That, after long and
due examination of our own consciences in matters of true and false
religion, we are now thoroughly resolved in the truth by the Spirit and
Word of God: and therefore we believe with our hearts, confess with our
mouths, subscribe with our hands, and constantly affirm, before God and
the whole world, that this only is the true Christian faith and
religion, pleasing God, and bringing salvation to man, which now is, by
the mercy of God, revealed to the world by the preaching of the blessed
evangel; and is received, believed, and defended by many and sundry
notable kirks and realms, but chiefly by the Kirk of Scotland, the
King's Majesty, and three estates of this realm, as God's eternal truth,
and only ground of our salvation; as more particularly is expressed in
the Confession of our Faith, established and publicly confirmed by
sundry Acts of Parliaments, and now of a long time hath been openly
professed by the King's Majesty, and whole body of this realm both in
burgh and land. To the which Confession and Form of Religion we
willingly agree in our conscience in all points, as unto God's undoubted
truth and verity, grounded only upon His written Word. And therefore we
abhor and detest all contrary religion and doctrine; but chiefly all
kind of Papistry in general and particular heads, even as they are now
damned and confuted by the Word of God and Kirk of Scotland. But, in
special, we detest and refuse the usurped authority of that Roman
Antichrist upon the Scriptures of God, upon the Kirk, the civil
magistrate, and consciences of men; all his tyrannous laws made upon
indifferent things against our Christian liberty; his erroneous doctrine
against the sufficiency of the written Word, the perfection of the law,
the office of Christ, and His blessed evangel; his corrupted doctrine
concerning original sin, our natural inability and rebellion to God's
law, our justification by faith only, our imperfect sanctification and
obedience to the law; the nature, number, and use of the holy
sacraments; his five bastard sacraments, with all his rites, ceremonies,
and false doctrine, added to the ministration of the true sacraments
without the word of God; his cruel judgment against infants departing
without the sacrament; his absolute necessity of baptism; his
blasphemous opinion of transubstantiation, or real presence of Christ's
body in the elements, and receiving of the same by the wicked, or bodies
of men; his dispensations with solemn oaths, perjuries, and degrees of
marriage forbidden in the Word; his cruelty against the innocent
divorced; his devilish mass; his blasphemous priesthood; his profane
sacrifice for sins of the dead and the quick; his canonization of men;
calling upon angels or saints departed, worshipping of imagery, relics,
and crosses; dedicating of kirks, altars, days; vows to creatures; his
purgatory, prayers for the dead; praying or speaking in a strange
language, with his processions, and blasphemous litany, and multitude of
advocates or mediators; his manifold orders, auricular confession; his
desperate and uncertain repentance; his general and doubtsome faith; his
satisfactions of men for their sins; his justification by works, _opus
operatum_, works of supererogation, merits, pardons, peregrinations, and
stations; his holy water, baptizing of bells, conjuring of spirits,
crossing, sayning, anointing, conjuring, hallowing of God's good
creatures, with the superstitious opinion joined therewith; his worldly
monarchy, and wicked hierarchy; his three solemn vows, with all his
shavellings of sundry sorts; his erroneous and bloody decrees made at
Trent, with all the subscribers or approvers of that cruel and bloody
band, conjured against the Kirk of God. And finally, we detest all his
vain allegories, rites, signs, and traditions brought in the Kirk,
without or against the word of God, and doctrine of this true reformed
Kirk; to the which we join ourselves willingly, in doctrine, faith,
religion, discipline, and use of the holy sacraments, as lively members
of the same in Christ our head: promising and swearing, by the great
name of the LORD our GOD, that we shall continue in the obedience of the
doctrine and discipline of this Kirk, and shall defend the same,
according to our vocation and power, all the days of our lives; under
the pains contained in the law, and danger both of body and soul in the
day of God's fearful judgment.

And seeing that many are stirred up by Satan, and that Roman Antichrist,
to promise, swear, subscribe, and for a time use the holy sacraments in
the Kirk deceitfully, against their own conscience; minding hereby,
first, under the external cloak of religion, to corrupt and subvert
secretly God's true religion within the Kirk; and afterward, when time
may serve, to become open enemies and persecutors of the same, under
vain hope of the Pope's dispensation, devised against the Word of God,
to his greater confusion, and their double condemnation in the day of
the Lord Jesus: we therefore, willing to take away all suspicion of
hypocrisy, and of such double dealing with God and His Kirk, protest,
and call the Searcher of all hearts for witness, that our minds and
hearts do fully agree with this our Confession, promise, oath, and
subscription: so that we are not moved with any worldly respect, but are
persuaded only in our conscience, through the knowledge and love of
God's true religion imprinted in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, as we
shall answer to Him in the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed.

And because we perceive that the quietness and stability of our religion
and Kirk doth depend upon the safety and good behaviour of the King's
Majesty, as upon a comfortable instrument of God's mercy granted to this
country, for the maintaining of His Kirk and ministration of justice
amongst us; we protest and promise with our hearts, under the same oath,
hand-writ, and pains, that we shall defend His person and authority with
our goods, bodies, and lives, in the defence of Christ His evangel,
liberties of our country, ministration of justice, and punishment of
iniquity, against all enemies within this realm or without, as we desire
our God to be a strong and merciful defender to us in the day of our
death, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; to whom, with the Father,
and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory eternally. _Amen._

Likeas many Acts of Parliament, not only in general do abrogate, annul,
and rescind all laws, statutes, acts, constitutions, canons civil or
municipal, with all other ordinances, and practique penalties
whatsoever, made in prejudice of the true religion, and professors
thereof; or of the true Kirk, discipline, jurisdiction, and freedom
thereof; or in favours of idolatry and superstition, or of the
Papistical kirk: As Act 3, Act 31, Parl. 1; Act 23, Parl. 11; Act 114,
Parl. 12, of King James VI. That Papistry and superstition may be
utterly suppressed, according to the intention of the Acts of
Parliament, repeated in the 5th Act, Parl. 20, King James VI. And to
that end they ordain all Papists and Priests to be punished with
manifold civil and ecclesiastical pains, as adversaries to God's true
religion preached, and by law established, within this realm, Act 24,
Parl. 11, King James VI.; as common enemies to all Christian government,
Act 18, Parl. 16, King James VI.; as rebellers and gainstanders of our
Sovereign Lord's authority, Act 47, Parl. 3, King James VI.; and as
idolaters, Act 104, Parl. 7, King James VI. But also in particular, by
and attour the Confession of Faith, do abolish and condemn the Pope's
authority and jurisdiction out of this land, and ordains the maintainers
thereof to be punished, Act 2, Parl. 1; Act 51, Parl. 3; Act 106, Parl.
7; Act 114, Parl. 12, King James VI.: do condemn the Pope's erroneous
doctrine, or any other erroneous doctrine repugnant to any of the
articles of the true and Christian religion, publicly preached, and by
law established in this realm; and ordains the spreaders and makers of
books or libels, or letters or writs of that nature to be punished, Act
46, Parl. 3; Act 106, Parl. 7; Act 24, Parl. 11, King James VI.: do
condemn all baptism conform to the Pope's kirk, and the idolatry of the
mass; and ordains all sayers, wilful hearers and concealers of the mass,
the maintainers and resetters of the priests, Jesuits, trafficking
Papists, to be punished without any exception or restriction, Act 5,
Parl. 1; Act 120, Parl. 12; Act 164, Parl. 13; Act 193, Parl. 14; Act 1,
Parl. 19; Act 5, Parl. 20, King James VI.: do condemn all erroneous
books and writs containing erroneous doctrine against the religion
presently professed, or containing superstitious rites and ceremonies
Papistical, whereby the people are greatly abused, and ordains the
home-bringers of them to be punished, Act 25, Parl. II, King James VI.:
do condemn the monuments and dregs of bygone idolatry, as going to
crosses, observing the festival days of saints, and such other
superstitious and Papistical rites, to the dishonour of God, contempt of
true religion, and fostering of great error among the people; and
ordains the users of them to be punished for the second fault, as
idolaters, Act 104, Parl. 7, King James VI.

Likeas many Acts of Parliament are conceived for maintenance of God's
true and Christian religion, and the purity thereof, in doctrine and
sacraments of the true Church of God, the liberty and freedom thereof,
in her national, synodal assemblies, presbyteries, sessions, policy,
discipline, and jurisdiction thereof; as that purity of religion, and
liberty of the Church was used, professed, exercised, preached, and
confessed, according to the reformation of religion in this realm: As
for instance, the 99th Act, Parl. 7; Act 25, Parl. 11; Act 114, Parl.
12; Act 160, Parl. 13, of King James VI., ratified by the 4th Act of
King Charles. So that the 6th Act, Parl. 1, and 68th Act, Parl. 6, of
King James VI., in the year of God 1579, declare the ministers of the
blessed evangel, whom God of His mercy had raised up, or hereafter
should raise, agreeing with them that then lived, in doctrine and
administration of the sacraments; and the people that professed Christ,
as He was then offered in the evangel, and doth communicate with the
holy sacraments (as in the reformed kirks of this realm they were
presently administrate) according to the Confession of Faith, to be the
true and holy kirk of Christ Jesus within this realm. And decerns and
declares all and sundry, who either gainsay the Word of the evangel
received and approved as the heads of the Confession of Faith, professed
in Parliament in the year of God 1560, specified also in the first
Parliament of King James VI., and ratified in this present Parliament,
more particularly do express; or that refuse the administration of the
holy sacraments as they were then ministrated--to be no members of the
said Kirk within this realm, and true religion presently professed, so
long as they keep themselves so divided from the society of Christ's
body. And the subsequent Act 69, Parl. 6, of King James VI., declares,
that there is no other face of kirk, nor other face of religion, than
was presently at that time by the favour of God established within this
realm: "Which therefore is ever styled God's true religion, Christ's
true religion, the true and Christian religion, and a perfect religion;"
which, by manifold Acts of Parliament, all within this realm are bound
to profess, to subscribe the articles thereof, the Confession of Faith,
to recant all doctrine and errors repugnant to any of the said articles,
Acts 4 and 9, Parl. 1; Acts 45, 46, 47, Parl. 3; Act 71, Parl. 6; Act
106, Parl. 7; Act 24, Parl. 11; Act 123, Parl. 12; Acts 194 and 197,
Parl. 14, of King James VI. And all magistrates, sheriffs, &c., on the
one part, are ordained to search, apprehend, and punish all
contraveners: For instance Act 5, Parl. 1; Act 104, Parl. 7; Act 25,
Parl. 11, King James VI.; and that notwithstanding of the King's
Majesty's licences on the contrary, which are discharged, and declared
to be of no force, in so far as they tend in any wise to the prejudice
and hinder of the execution of the Acts of Parliament against Papists
and adversaries of true religion, Act 106, Parl. 7, King James VI. On
the other part, in the 47th Act, Parl. 3, King James VI., it is declared
and ordained, Seeing the cause of God's true religion and his Highness's
authority are so joined, as the hurt of the one is common to both, that
none shall be reputed as loyal and faithful subjects to our Sovereign
Lord, or his authority, but be punishable as rebellers and gainstanders
of the same, who shall not give their confession and make their
profession of the said true religion: and that they who, after
defection, shall give the confession of their faith of new, they shall
promise to continue therein in time coming, to maintain our Sovereign
Lord's authority, and at the uttermost of their power to fortify,
assist, and maintain the true preachers and professors of Christ's
religion, against whatsoever enemies and gainstanders of the same; and
namely, against all such, of whatsoever nation, estate, or degree they
be of, that have joined or bound themselves, or have assisted, or
assist, to set forward and execute the cruel decrees of the Council of
Trent, contrary to the true preachers and professors of the word of God;
which is repeated, word by word, in the articles of pacification at
Perth, the 23rd of February, 1572; approved by Parliament the last of
April, 1573; ratified in Parliament 1587, and related Act 123, Parl. 12,
of King James VI.; with this addition, "That they are bound to resist
all treasonable uproars and hostilities raised against the true
religion, the King's Majesty, and the true professors."

Likeas, all lieges are bound to maintain the King's Majesty's royal
person and authority, the authority of Parliaments, without the which
neither any laws or lawful judicatories can be established, Acts 130 and
131, Parl. 8, King James VI., and the subjects' liberties, who ought
only to live and be governed by the King's laws, the common laws of this
realm allenarly, Act 48, Parl. 3, King James I.; Act 79, Parl. 6, King
James IV.; repeated in the Act 131, Parl. 8, King James VI.; which if
they be innovated and prejudged, "the commission anent the union of the
two kingdoms of Scotland and England, which is the sole act of the 17th
Parl. of King James VI., declares," such confusion would ensue as this
realm could be no more a free monarchy; because, by the fundamental
laws, ancient privileges, offices, and liberties of this kingdom, not
only the princely authority of his Majesty's royal descent hath been
these many ages maintained, but also the people's security of their
lands, livings, rights, offices, liberties, and dignities preserved. And
therefore, for the preservation of the said true religion, laws, and
liberties of this kingdom, it is statute by the 8th Act, Parl. 1,
repeated in the 99th Act, Parl. 7, ratified in the 23rd Act, Parl. 11,
and 114th Act, Parl. 12, of King James VI., and 4th Act, Parl. 1, of
King Charles I.--"That all Kings and Princes at their coronation, and
reception of their princely authority, shall make their faithful promise
by their solemn oath, in the presence of the eternal God, that enduring
the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the same eternal God to
the uttermost of their power, according as He hath required in His most
holy Word, contained in the Old and New Testament; and according to the
same Word, shall maintain the true religion of Christ Jesus, the
preaching of His holy Word, the due and right ministration of the
sacraments now received and preached within this realm, (according to
the Confession of Faith immediately preceding,) and shall abolish and
gainstand all false religion contrary to the same; and shall rule the
people committed to their charge, according to the will and command of
God revealed in His foresaid Word, and according to the laudable laws
and constitutions received in this realm, nowise repugnant to the said
will of the eternal God; and shall procure, to the uttermost of their
power, to the Kirk of God, and whole Christian people, true and perfect
peace in all time coming: and that they shall be careful to root out of
their empire all heretics and enemies to the true worship of God, who
shall be convicted by the true Kirk of God of the foresaid crimes."
Which was also observed by his Majesty, at his coronation in Edinburgh,
1633, as may be seen in the order of the coronation.

In obedience to the commandment of God, conform to the practice of the
godly in former times, and according to the laudable example of our
worthy and religious progenitors and of many yet living amongst us,
which was warranted also by Act of Council, commanding a general band to
be made and subscribed by his Majesty's subjects of all ranks; for two
causes: one was, For defending the true religion, as it was then
reformed, and is expressed in the Confession of Faith above written, and
a former large Confession established by sundry acts of lawful General
Assemblies and of Parliaments, unto which it hath relation, set down in
public Catechisms; and which hath been for many years, with a blessing
from Heaven, preached and professed in this Kirk and kingdom, as God's
undoubted truth, grounded only upon His written Word. The other cause
was, For maintaining the King's Majesty, his person and estate; the true
worship of God and the King's authority being so straitly joined, as
that they had the same friends, and common enemies, and did stand and
fall together. And finally, being convinced in our minds, and confessing
with our mouths, that the present and succeeding generations in this
land are bound to keep the foresaid national oath and subscription
inviolable,

We Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgesses, Ministers, and Commons
under-subscribing, considering divers times before, and especially at
this time, the danger of the true reformed religion, of the King's
honour, and of the public peace of the kingdom, by the manifold
innovations and evils, generally contained, and particularly mentioned
in our late supplications, complaints, and protestations; do hereby
profess, and before God, His angels, and the world, solemnly declare,
That with our whole hearts we agree, and resolve all the days of our
life constantly to adhere unto and to defend the foresaid true religion,
and (forbearing the practice of all novations already introduced in the
matters of the worship of God, or approbation of the corruptions of the
public government of the Kirk, or civil places and power of kirkmen,
till they be tried and allowed in free Assemblies and in Parliament) to
labour, by all means, to recover the purity and liberty of the Gospel,
as it was established and professed before the foresaid novations. And
because, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly
believe, that the innovations and evils contained in our supplications,
complaints, and protestations, have no warrant of the Word of God, are
contrary to the articles of the foresaid Confession, to the intention
and meaning of the blessed reformers of religion in this land, to the
above-written Acts of Parliament; and do sensibly tend to the
re-establishing of the Popish religion and tyranny, and to the
subversion and ruin of the true reformed religion, and of our liberties,
laws, and estates; we also declare, That the foresaid Confessions are to
be interpreted, and ought to be understood of the foresaid novations and
evils, no less than if every one of them had been expressed in the
foresaid Confessions; and that we are obliged to detest and abhor them,
amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein. And
therefore, from the knowledge and conscience of our duty to God, to our
King and country, without any worldly respect or inducement, so far as
human infirmity will suffer, wishing a further measure of the grace of
God for this effect; we promise and swear, by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD
OUR GOD, to continue in the profession and obedience of the aforesaid
religion; and that we shall defend the same, and resist all these
contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the
uttermost of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of
our life.

And in like manner, with the same heart, we declare before God and men,
That we have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing that may turn
to the dishonour of God, or to the diminution of the King's greatness
and authority; but, on the contrary, we promise and swear, That we
shall, to the uttermost of our power, with our means and lives, stand to
the defence of our dread Sovereign the King's Majesty, his person and
authority, in the defence and preservation of the foresaid true
religion, liberties, and laws of the kingdom; as also to the mutual
defence and assistance every one of us of another, in the same cause of
maintaining the true religion, and his Majesty's authority, with our
best counsel, our bodies, means, and whole power, against all sorts of
persons whatsoever; so that whatsoever shall be done to the least of us
for that cause, shall be taken as done to us all in general, and to
every one of us in particular. And that we shall neither directly nor
indirectly suffer ourselves to be divided or withdrawn, by whatsoever
suggestion, combination, allurement, or terror, from this blessed and
loyal conjunction; nor shall cast in any let or impediment that may stay
or hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to
conduce for so good ends; but, on the contrary, shall by all lawful
means labour to further and promote the same: and if any such dangerous
and divisive motion be made to us by word or writ, we, and every one of
us, shall either suppress it, or, if need be, shall incontinent make the
same known, that it may be timeously obviated. Neither do we fear the
foul aspersions of rebellion, combination, or what else our adversaries,
from their craft and malice, would put upon us; seeing what we do is
well warranted, and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the
true worship of God, the majesty of our King, and the peace of the
kingdom, for the common happiness of ourselves and our posterity.

And because we cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceedings,
except with our profession and subscription we join such a life and
conversation as beseemeth Christians who have renewed their covenant
with God; we therefore faithfully promise for ourselves, our followers,
and all others under us, both in public, and in our particular families,
and personal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds
of Christian liberty, and to be good examples to others of all
godliness, soberness, and righteousness, and of every duty we owe to
God and man.

And, that this our union and conjunction may be observed without
violation, we call the LIVING GOD, THE SEARCHER OF OUR HEARTS, to
witness, who knoweth this to be our sincere desire and unfeigned
resolution, as we shall answer to JESUS CHRIST in the great day, and
under the pain of God's everlasting wrath, and of infamy and loss of all
honour and respect in this world: most humbly beseeching the LORD to
strengthen us by His HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to bless our desires
and proceedings with a happy success; that religion and righteousness
may flourish in the land, to the glory of GOD, the honour of our King,
and peace and comfort of us all. In witness whereof, we have subscribed
with our hands all the premises.

The article of this Covenant within written and within subscribed, which
was at the first subscription referred to the determination of the
General Assembly, being now determined, on the fifth of December, 1638,
and hereby the five articles of Perth, the government of the Kirk by
bishops, being declared to be abjured and removed, and the civil places
and power of kirkmen declared unlawful, we subscribe according to the
determination of the said lawful and free General Assembly, holden at
Glasgow.




THE NATIONAL COVENANT:

EXHORTATION TO THE LORDS OF COUNCIL.[1]


_May it please your Lordship_,

We, the ministers of the Gospel, conveened at this so necessary a time
do find ourselves bound to represent, as unto all, so in special unto
your lordship what comfortable experience we have of the wonderful
favour of God, upon the renewing of the Confession of Faith and
Covenant; what peace and comfort hath filled the hearts of all God's
people; what resolutions and beginnings of reformation of manners are
sensibly perceived in all parts of the kingdom, above any measure that
ever we did find, or could have expected; how great glory the Lord hath
received hereby, and what confidence we have (if this sunshine be not
eclipsed by some sinful division or defection) that God shall make this
a blessed kingdom, to the contentment of the king's majesty, and joy of
all his good subjects, according as God hath promised in His good Word,
and performed to His people in former times: and therefore we are
forced, from our hearts, both to wish and entreat your lordship to be
partaker and promover of this joy and happiness by your subscription,
when your lordship shall think it convenient; and in the mean time, that
your lordship would not be sparing to give a free testimony to the
truth, as a timely and necessary expression of your tender affection to
the cause of Christ, now calling for help at your hands. Your lordship's
profession of the true religion, as it was reformed in this land; the
national oath of this kingdom, sundry times sworn and subscribed,
obliging us who live at this time; the duty of a good patriot, the
office and trust of a privy councillor, the present employment, to have
place amongst those that are first acquainted with his majesty's
pleasure; the consideration that this is the time of trial of your
lordship's affection to religion, the respect which your lordship hath
unto your fame, both now and hereafter, when things shall be recorded to
posterity; and the remembrance, that not only the eyes of men and angels
are upon your lordship's carriage, but also that the Lord Jesus is a
secret witness now to observe, and shall be an open judge hereafter, to
reward and confess every man before His Father, that confesseth Him
before men: all of these, and each of them, beside your lordship's
personal and particular obligations to God, do call for no less at your
lordship's hands, in the case of so great and singular necessity: and we
also do expect so much at this time, according as your lordship at the
hour of death would be free of the terror of God, and be refreshed with
the comfortable remembrance of a word spoken in season for Christ Jesus,
King of kings, and Lord of lords.




THE NATIONAL COVENANT.

SERMON AT ST. ANDREWS.

_BY ALEXANDER HENDERSON._[2]

"Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; Thou hast the
dew of thy youth."--_Psalm_ cx. 3.


It is, beloved in the Lord, very expedient, and sometimes most necessar,
that we turn away our eyes from kings and their greatness, from kirkmen
and men of state, and that we turn them towards another object, and look
only to Jesus Christ, who is the great king, priest, and prophet of His
kirk. The godly in former times, who were kings, priests, and prophets
themselves, used to do this, and that before Christ; and mickle more is
it required of us now in thir days, seeing we live in troublesome times;
for there is a comfort that comes to the children of God that way. The
first part of this psalm expresses to us the threefold office of Christ,
and the second part of it expresses the valiant acts our Lord Jesus does
by these His three offices, but especially by His Princely office; whilk
indeed is His worst studied office by many men in the world. We would,
many of us, willingly take Him for our prophet to teach us, and for our
priest to intercede for us, and be a sacrifice for our sins, but when
it comes to His Princely office, to direct us what we should do, then we
would be at that whilk seems best in our own eyes.

His Princely office is described unto us here three ways. 1. In relation
to God Himself; "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at My right hand."
2. In respect of His enemies; "The Lord sall send the rod of thy
strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thy enemies." Were His
enemies never so many, and never so despiteful against Him, yet He sall
rule in the midst of them. And indeed this is a very admirable part of
His kingly office, that even in the midst of His enemies He sall have a
kingdom for Himself, in despite of them, and all that they can do or say
against it. 3. The third, wherein the glory of His kingly office
consists, is in thir words that I have read to you: and that is in
relation to, and in respect of the subjects of the kingdom of Christ.
And they are described here to be a people belonging to Jesus Christ; to
be a people on whom God manifests His power; and they are a most willing
people, a people who count holiness to be their chiefest beauty. And
they are so marvellously multiplied, that it is a wonder to consider of
it: there is no more drops of dew will fall, nor they will not fall any
faster in a morning than the Lord will multiply them, when He is pleased
to do so. And although the Lord sometimes multiply them in a secret
manner, yet still the multitude stands to be true.

That the purposes may be the better tane up by you who will take heed to
them, consider of these parts in the words. 1. The persons of whom the
Psalmist speaks here. "Thy people." 2. The properties of these people in
this day: They sall be a willing people; a holy people; a people who
sall be miraculously multiplied. And so their properties is willingness,
holiness, and multiplication.

Many proofs has been of the truth of this prophecy since the
beginning--that the Lord's people sall be willing in the day of His
power, in the beauties of holiness; from the womb of the morning thou
hast the dew of thy youth. There were many evident proofs of the truth
of this since the beginning of the plantation of the gospel into the
world. And surely we know not a more evident and notable proof of it
than this same that is presently into this land, nor think I that there
be any who can show the parallel of it. The Lord has made them willingly
to offer up themselves, and all that they have, for Him. And they are a
people of holiness; albeit it is true, indeed, many has been brought to
it from this quarter and that quarter of the land, since the beginning,
to be more holy than they used to be. And if the multiplication of them
be not wonderful, I cannot tell what ye will tell me of that is more
wonderful; so that indeed it is a miracle to all who hear of it. In the
time while Christ was upon the earth there were two sorts of miracles to
be seen;--first, Christ made the dumb to speak, the blind to see, the
lame to walk, &c.: this indeed was a great miracle. The second sort of
miracles was of him who did see these things wrought by Christ, and yet
for all that, did not believe in Him who did work them. Even so there
are two sorts of wonders in this same time wherein we live;--first, how
the Lord has multiplied His people, and made them to be so many,
whereas, at the first, we thought them to be but very few; secondly, we
cannot but wonder at these who observes not God's hand into it: and
indeed we cannot but wonder that any can be so blind that they observe
not the very hand and finger of God in the work. Ay, we who have been
witnesses to it, for the most part, we cannot but wonder at the work of
God in it. It has not been man's wit has done the work, and multiply so,
but only God has done it; and we cannot tell how; but only we see that
there are numbers continually multiplied.

I. "Thy people." Here is a note of property, and a note of distinction.
First, it is a note of property. They are God's people--God has absolute
right over a people, and there is none who has any right over them but
He alone. It's true all people are under Him, but He calls not all His
people after this manner. All things are for God, and subordinate to
Him; the absolute power to rule and to command these people is in God's
hand, and He will not give that power to any other over them: and He has
good reason so to do. 1. Because He was thinking upon His people from
all eternity; and there was none who did that but only He. 2. He made us
and fashioned us in time; and neither any authority or magistrate did
that. 3. Who is it that provides means for their sustenance daily, and
makes these means effectual, but only the Lord? A man cannot make one
pyle (blade) of grass, or one ear of corn, to grow for thy
entertainment, but only the Lord: and when thou hast gotten these
things, it is the blessing of God that makes them effectual. For when ye
say the grace to your meat, say ye it to man? No, ye say it only to God.
So that every way ye are God's people. And then, whilk is more, and
therefore we are bound to be His people, no man can redeem the life of
his brother, nor give a price sufficient for his life, let be (let
alone) for his soul, and yet the Lord, He has redeemed us from hell, and
from the grave; and therefore we belong to Him. Then is it not the Lord
who enters in covenant with thee, and says, I will remember thy sins no
more? Then albeit all the world should remember thy ill deeds, yet if
the Lord remember them not, then thou art blessed. It is He who says, I
will write My laws in your hearts, to lead you here: it is He who puts
us in the estate of grace while we are here, and so puts us in hope of
glory after this life. It is He who sall be our judge at that great day.
And so ye are the Lord's people, by way of property.

And this was it that made the apostles so bold, when it was alleged
that they had done that whilk was not right: they made the enemies
themselves judges, and says, "Whether it be right in your sight to obey
God rather than man, judge ye." As if they had said, It's true indeed we
are mickle obliged to man, but we are more obliged to God than to all
men; for what is it that man can do to us, either good or ill, but God
can do that als (also) and more? And upon this ground, in the next
chapter, they draw this conclusion,--It behoveth us rather to obey God
than man. And so, first, they reason with the adversars themselves upon
it; and seeing that they could not deny it, upon that they draw up their
conclusion. I mark this for this end, that whenever ye are enjoined to
do anything by any man, that then ye would not forget this dignity and
power that God has over you, and that ye are the people of Jesus Christ;
and therefore no man ought to enjoin anything to be done by you, but
that for the whilk he has a warrant from God. There is a great
controversy now about disobedience to superiors, and the contempt of
those who are in authority; but there is not a word of that, whether God
be obeyed or not, or if He be disobeyed by any. Fy, that people should
sell themselves over to the slavery of man, when the Lord has only
sovereign power over them! I would not have you to think that a whole
country of people are appointed only to uphold the grandeur of five or
six men. No, they are ordained to be magistrates for your good. And sall
we think that a ministry shines into a land for the upholding of the
grandeur of some few persons. No, all these things are ordained for the
good of God's people; and, seeing that it is so, sall ye then make
yourselves like to asses and slaves, to be subject to all that men
pleases to impose upon you? No, no; try anything that they impose upon
you, before ye obey it, if it is warranted by God or not; because God is
the only superior over you.

2. Secondly. "Thy people." This also is a note of distinction; for every
people are God's people, but there is a distinction among them. All
people, it's true, are God's people by right of creation: why therefore
says he, _Thy_ people, and not _all_ people? Because all people belong
not to Christ. God has authority over all indeed, but in a special
manner He enters into covenant with some. All people who are subject to
Him in His providence are not His peculiar people, His royal nation, His
holy priesthood, His chosen generation, but only those of them who
belong to Christ; those are properly termed to be His people. And we
should remember of this, that those who are the people of God, they have
notable privileges; they have all things that any people should have,
and, whatever we should be, they have that. Where any are the people of
God, there there is blessedness indeed, for they have His truth for
their security, they have His love for their comfort, His power for
their defence. The Lord God, He takes His people into His bosom, and
with every soul He does so, and says, "I the Lord thy God enters in
covenant with thee, and renews the covenant that before I made with
thee." And then He lays a necessity upon thee, by His providence, that
thou must enter into covenant with Him; and then He says to thee, "I
will not remember thy sins any more; I know they are heinous, great, and
many, but because thou desires that they should not be remembered,
therefore I will not remember them. And because when ye have renewed
your covenant with Me, ye will be aye in a fear to break it again,
therefore I will write My law in your hearts. And so whatever I promise
to you, I will perform it freely when ye are in covenant with Me; and
whatever ye promise to Me, being in covenant with Me, I sall perform it
for you also, at least I sall give you strength to perform it." And
therefore to the end that ye may be perfectly blessed, enter into a
covenant with God; and without ye be in covenant with Him, ye sall be
in nothing but perpetual misery. I would have all of you to think this
to be your only health, wealth, and peace, and your only glory in the
world, to be in covenant with God; and so that ye are the people of God,
I would not have you to count men to be rich and glorious men by their
estates in the world--that he can spend so many chalders of victual
yearly, or so many thousand merks. O, a silly, beggarly glory is this!
Naked thou came into the world, and naked thou must go out of it again.
But see how mickle thou has of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, how far
thou art forward in the work of repentance, faith, &c., and such good
actions. Learn to set your affections on things that are above, and
testify it by your actions.

II. "In the day of Thy power." This is the time when the people of God
sall be willing, even in the day of His power; that is, in the day of
the power of Jesus Christ. The day of His own resurrection from the dead
was one day of His power: He says, "I have power to lay down My life,
and I have power to take it again;" "Destroy this temple, and I will
build it up again in three days;" He meant of the temple of His body:
and indeed there was none who could raise His dead body out of the
grave, but only Himself. A second day of His power sall be the day of
the resurrection of our bodies out of the dust. But there is another day
that is meant of here than any of these, and that is the day of our
first resurrection out of the grave of sin, by the preaching of the
gospel. And there is good reason for it, why this should be called a day
of His power. First, because it is the power of Jesus Christ that brings
the purity of the gospel into a land; and we may indeed say that it was
only His power that brought the gospel into this land. It had not
authority then to countenance it, for all those that were in authority
were against it; and counsel and policy, and all the clergy, and the
multitude, all of them, were against it; and yet, for all that, the
Lord brought in the purity of the gospel into this land, and established
it here against all these. Secondly, when the purity of the gospel is
into a land, it is only the power of God that makes it effectual for
turning of souls unto Himself, and raising them out of the grave of sin,
wherein they are so fast buried. So when the Lord first sends the
gospel, we are lying into the grave of sin; and the devil, and the
world, and all these enemies they are watching the grave, to see that we
rise not out of it; and when we are beginning to rise they are busy to
hold us down. And think not that we can rise, and lift up ourselves from
so base to so high ane estate, without the power of God. No, no. Third.
When the gospel is into a land, it is only the power of Jesus Christ
that makes it to continue, for if the Lord make not the gospel to
continue into a land, it will not stay there. And there is no less power
required either to bring the gospel into a land, or to make it
effectual, or to make it to continue, than was required to raise the
dead body of Christ out of the grave, or will be required to raise ours.

I would have you consider here, that all times are not alike, but there
is a time of the Lord's power; that all days are not alike, but there is
a day of the Lord's power; a time when the saints of God sall be weak, a
time when they sall be strong; a time when some sall rise up to
persecute the saints, a time when others sall rise up to help them; a
time when the Lord withholds His power, and a time when He kythes (shews
it); a time when the people draws back from the Lord, and a time when
they turn to Him again. There has been a day of defection in this land
this time past, and now there is a time of the Lord's power in bringing
back this defection again: and indeed this very instant time that now is
is ane hour of that day of the Lord's power, and I will shew you two or
three reasons for it. 1. The Lord did arise and manifested His power
when the enemies were become insolent, and when they had determined that
they would set up such a mode of worship as they thought meet, and
noways according to the pattern shown upon the mount. And indeed the
Lord, He uses ordinarily to do this, that even when the enemies of His
people are become insolent, and they have determined that they will do
such a thing instantly, then He takes them in their own snare. 2. To
show that it is the Lord's power only that works a work, He uses to
begin at very small beginnings; and so the Lord did in this same
work;--He began at first with some few, and these not honourable, and
yet now He has made it to cover the whole land through all the quarters
thereof. 3. This is also a note of the power of God, that He has touched
the hearts of people, that there was never such a howling and a weeping
heard amongst them this long time as there is now; and yet it is not a
weeping for sorrow, but a weeping for joy. How oft has there been
preachings in the most part of the congregations of this land this long
time past, and yet people have never found the power of it in working
upon their hearts; and yet within this short space, when the Lord has
renewed His covenant with them, and they with Him, He has displayed His
banner, and made His power known in working upon the hearts of people.
4. In this the power of God is manifestly to be seen in this work, that
the Lord has made all the devices and plots of the adversars, that they
have devised to further their own ends, to work contrair to these ends,
and to work for the good of His own work. And, indeed, we may say that
it has not been so mickle the courage and wisdom of these, that has been
for this cause, that has brought it so far on, but the very plots and
devices of the adversars that they have devised for their own good. This
also is ane evident token of the Lord's power.

And now since the Lord did arise when the enemies were become insolent,
since He began at so small beginnings and has brought it so far, since
the Lord has wrought so on the hearts of people now, and since He has
made all the plots of the enemies to work against themselves, and for
His people, let us give this glory to God, and reverence Him, and say
that it is only by His power that the work is done, and that He has been
pleased to manifest Himself into the work. Beloved, we may comfort
ourselves in this, if all this has been done by the power of God, then
we need not to fear the power of men; men can do nothing against God.
The Lord may indeed put His kirk to a trial, but He will not suffer her
to be overthrown by any. And indeed, any who hears and knows what the
enemies are doing here may see that they are not fighting against men,
but against God, and that they are kicking against the pricks.

III. Now, for the properties of thir people. The first of them is
_willing_. The Lord's people are a people of willingness in the day of
His power: and indeed thir three go very well together, the people of
God, the power of God, and a willing people. When the power of God works
upon His people then He makes them to be a willing people. And indeed,
it is no small matter to see a people willing in a good cause, for by
nature we are unwilling, and naturally we are not set to affect anything
that is right, except it be through hypocrisy. Our hearts they are
contrary to God; they are proud, disobedient, rebellious, and he who
sees and knows his own heart sees all this to be in it; and he knows
that it is the Lord who cries upon him, in the day of His own power, and
frames his heart in a new mould, and makes it to be so nimble and
cheerful in any good work,--that albeit they had been before running
with all their speed to the devil, yet He makes them to stand still in
the way and look about them, and consider what they have been doing, and
then to turn about again. Albeit thou were like to Paul, persecuting the
Church, yet He can then make a preacher of thee, and so affright thee
that thou sall not know where thou art, but say, "Here am I, Lord:" and
albeit thou were as unwilling to go as the prophet Moses, yet He will
make thee to say, "Here am I, Lord, send me," and be as Elisha, when
Elias cuist (cast) his mantle about him, then he could not stay any
longer. And when Christ comes to Peter, and calls upon them, they cannot
stay any longer, but incontinent they leave all and follows Him. I will
not now begin to make any large discourse of the invincible power of
God; I say no more of it now but only this for your use. If ye kent this
power of God, it would make you ready and willing to give a confession
to Him this day, and even to confess Him before men, and to forsake all
and follow Him. Ye who are ignorant of the power of God, take heed to
this,--it is the Lord who commanded light to come out of darkness, who
must make you to see Christ; He who takes His rod in His hand to beat
down the hard and humble the haughty heart, He must do this also. O if
ye felt this power of God, ye would think nothing to forsake all and to
follow Him. He has suffered more for us nor we can suffer for Him; and
if we suffered anything for Him, He would not suffer any of us yet to be
a loser at His hand: but we cannot put Him to a trial.

Now for this unwillingness of these people, it is well expressed here.
They are called a people of willingness. And yet He thinks not this
satisfactory, to call them a willing people, but He calls them a people
of willingness, a noble, generous, high-minded people. And all this is
to shew that when the people of God is wakened up in the day of His
power, there is none who is able to express their willingness. They are
so willing that if they had a thousand minds they would employ them all
for Him, and if they had a thousand faces, they would not let one of
them look down, but they would hold them all up for the Lord; if every
hair in their head were a man, they would employ them all in His
service. Their willingness, indeed, it cannot be expressed. They cry to
the Lord, because they think they cannot run fast enough, "Draw me and I
sail run after Thee:" they are flying together, as the dowes does to the
holes of the rocks before a tempest come. In the Canticles, Christ says,
"My soul made Me as the chariots of My noble people;" and, indeed, to
see a people running through the land, to meet together to keep
communion with the Lord, this is the best chariot that can be. And this
willingness has been so great at some times in the children of God that
they have fallen in a paroxysm, or like the fit of a fever, with it: as
it is Acts xvii. Paul's spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the City
of Athens given to so much base idolatry as to worship the UNKNOWN GOD.
And Lot, also, he had such a fit as this; he vexed his righteous soul
with the iniquities of Sodom, that is, he tortured his soul with their
sins, he never saw them committing sin but it was a grief to him. And,
indeed, the children of God this while past have been grieved and vexed
to behold the sins that has been committed into this same land. I insist
upon this the rather because I would wish from my heart that ye would be
thus willing, and that ye would be as forward for the glory and honour
of God as ever any was. And then, indeed, it should do good to others
also, when they should hear tell that the people of St. Andrews were
such a willing people. And, indeed, ye have just reason to be willing
now.

1. Because it is God's cause ye have in hand, and it is no new cause to
us. It is almost sixty years old; it is no less since this same
Confession of Faith was first subscribed and sworn to. And it has been
still in use yearly to be subscribed and sworn to in some parts, among
some in this land, to this day. And I think it would have been so in all
the parts of the land if men had dreamed of what was coming upon us.
Whatever is added to it at this time, it is nothing but ane
interpretation of the former part; and if men will be willing to see the
right, they may see that there is nothing in the latter part but that
whilk may be deduced from the first. And in the making of a Covenant we
are not bound to keep only these same words that were before, but we
must renew it; and in the renewing thereof we must apply it to the
present time when it is renewed, as we have done, renewed it against the
present ills. For it is not necessar for us to abjure Turkism or
Paganism, because we are not in fear to be troubled with that; but the
thing that we are in danger of is Papistry, and therefore we must abjure
that.

2. A second reason to make you willing is, because this matter concerns
you in all things,--in your bodies, in your estates, in your lives, your
liberties, in your souls. I may say, if in the Lord's providence this
course had not been taken, ye would have found the thraldom whereinto
that course, wherein ye were anes (once) going, would have brought you
to or (ere) now, even ye who are most averse from it.

3. A third reason to make you willing is, ye have the precedency and
testimony of the nobility in the land to it, and of all sorts of
persons, noblemen, barons, gentlemen, burgesses, ministers, and commons;
and wherefore, then, should not ye be willing to follow their example?
And then, I may say, ye have the prayers of all the reformed kirks in
Europe for you, who have ever heard of the perturbations that has been,
and yet are, into this land. And, moreover, beloved, whom have ye
against you in this course? All the atheists, all the papists, and all
the profane rogues in the country; they draw to that side, and it is
only they who hate this cause. And should not all these make you willing
to swear to it, and to hazard for it? And I may say, if ye be but
willing to hazard all that ye have, that may be the heaviest distress
that ever ye shall be put to. And if so be that ye had been willing at
first, the Lord would have touched the king's heart, and made him
willing also; but because he is informed by some that the most part are
not willing, that is a great part of the cause why he is not willing.

The second property of God's people is holiness. "In the beauties of
holiness;" a speech that is borrowed from the priest's garments under
the law. Sometimes they were broidered with gold, sometimes they were
all white, especially in the day of expiation. Not that ministers under
the New Testament should have such garments as these, for these were
representations to them, both of their inward holiness and of their
outward holiness, by (beyond) others; but now all believers are priests
as well as ministers are, and therefore such garments as these are not
necessar. Indeed, if such garments as these had been necessar, then
Christ and His apostles had done great wrong to themselves, who never
used the like; and they had done great wrong to the kirk also in not
appointing such garments to be worn by ministers. There be garments of
glory in heaven, and garments of grace in the earth; that party-coloured
garment spoken of in the Colossians, and this holiness whilk is spoken
of here. Concerning whilk we will mark two things:--First, as people are
a people of willingness in a good cause, so they must also be a people
of holiness, or otherwise their willingness is only but for some worldly
respects: therefore, I would have you with willingness to put on
holiness. And, indeed, if we saw what holiness were, we needed not to be
persuaded to put it on, we would do it willingly. For it has three parts
in it--1. A purgation from former filthiness. 2. A separation from the
world. If thou will be holy, then thou must be separate from the world;
thou must strive to keep thyself from those whose garments are spotted
with the flesh. 3. Holiness requires devotion or dedication to the Lord.
When there is purgation from filthiness, separation from the world, and
dedication to the Lord, there there is holiness and nowhere else.

Now, is there any of you but ye are obleist (obliged) to be holy? Ye say
that ye are the people of the Lord. If so be, then ye must have your
inward man purged of sin, and ye must stand at the stave's end against
the corruptions of the time, and ye must devote yourselves only to serve
and honour God. And your Covenant, that ye are to swear to this day,
oblishes you to this; and it requires nothing of you but that whilk ye
are bound to perform. And, therefore, seeing this is required of you,
purge yourselves within, flee the corruptions of the time, eschew the
society of those whom ye see to be corrupt, and devote yourselves only
to the Lord. Yet this is not that we would obleish you to perform
everything punctually that the Lord requires of you; there is none who
can do that, but promise to the Lord to do so, tell Him that ye have a
desire to do so, and join a resolution and a purpose, and say to Him,
Lord, I sall prease (earnestly endeavour) to do als far as I can. And,
indeed, there is no more in our covenant but this, that we sall
endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of our Christian liberty;
and, albeit, none of you would swear to this, ye are bound to it by your
baptism. And, therefore, think not that we are precisians, (or these who
has set down this covenant), seeing all of you are bound to do it.

Secondly, "The _beauties_ of holiness." Consider here that as holiness
is necessar for the saints of God, so all God's courtiers they are full
of beauty. God Himself is full of beauty, and we have no power, beauty
nor holiness but in His power, beauty, and holiness. Holiness, it is the
beauty of the Son of God, Jesus Christ; and to Him it is said in Esay,
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty": and the Holy Ghost has this style
to be called Holy. And the angels in heaven, they are clothed with
holiness; and the saints who are in heaven, this is the long white
robes wherewith they are clothed. And they who are begun to be
sanctified here, they strive to be more and more clad with holiness.
Beloved, I would have you to count this to be your beauty, even
holiness; for if ye have not this beauty, then all your other beauty
will degenerate in a bastard beauty.

Now follows the marvellous _multiplication_ of thir people. "From the
womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth." The words are
somewhat obscure even to the learned ear, but look to the 133d Psalm,
and there ye will see a place to help to clear them. Always (however)
observe here, "from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy
youth," that as in a May morning, when there is no extremity of heat,
the dew falls so thick that all the fields are covered with it, and it
falls in such a secret manner that none sees it fall, so the Lord, in
the day of His power, He sall multiply His people, and He sall multiply
them in a secret manner; so that it is marvellous to the world, that
once there should seem to be so few or none of them, and then
incontinent He should make them to be through all estates.

We have first to learn here, that the Kirk of God, she has a morning;
and in the morning the dew falls, and not in the night, nor in the heat
of the day. So it is not in the night of defection, nor in the heat of
the day of persecution, when the Lord's people are multiplied, but it is
in the morning of the day. Beloved, I wish you may be a discerning
people, to know the Lord's seasons. Sall we be as those, of whom our
Saviour complains, who can discern the face of the sky, but cannot
discern the day of the Lord's merciful and gracious visitation towards
them? Men indeed may be very learned and know things very well, and yet
in the meantime be but ignorant of this; for there are sundry gifts
bestowed upon men, and ilk are has not this gift, to discern the Lord's
merciful visitation. And therefore happy are ye, albeit ye be not great
in other gifts, if so be that ye know this; for the Lord, He has some
gifts of His own bestowing allanerly (only), whilk He will bestow upon
the meanest, and yet He will deny them to the proudest; even as the tops
of the mountains, they will be dry and have no dew, while as the valleys
will be wet with it. So those who exalts themselves high, and boasts
themselves of their other gifts, of their knowledge, learning,
experience, &c., the Lord will, for all that, ofttimes leave them void
of saving and sanctifying grace.

"From the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth." That is,
as the dew is multiplied upon the earth, so sall thy people be. This is
are ordinar phrase in Scripture. Hushai says to Absalom, "Convene the
people from Dan to Beersheba, and then we sall light upon David as the
dew lighteth upon the ground; and then there sall not be left of him and
of all the men that are with him so much as one." And this phrase is
well set down, Is. liv., "Rejoice, O barren, and thou that didst not
bear, break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not
travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the
married wife." And therefore He uses this form of speech, v. 2, "Enlarge
thy tents, and let them stretch the curtains of thy habitations;
lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes." And all these things are
requisite to be done when the people of God are multiplied thus.

Let us observe here, if the Word of God continue in this land, in the
purity thereof, and the sacraments be rightly administrate, the people
of God will then multiply exceedingly here. The chiefest city in this
land, they are forced to marvel where the people has been in former
times that are in it now, so that they cannot get kirks to contain them.
And they think, if the gospel continue in the purity thereof, all the
kirks that they are building, with the rest, sall have enough ado to
contain them. And it is a marvel to consider how the Lord has
multiplied His people, at this time. This is not that we are to glory in
multitudes, but to let you see the great work of God, Who has multiplied
His people thus. And as it was at the beginning of the plantation of the
Christian religion, there was three thousand converted at one preaching
of the apostle, I will not say that there has been three thousand
converted at a preaching here, but I may say this, that at one preaching
there has been some thousands wakened up, who had not been so for a long
time before. And will it not be a hard matter, seeing that it is so,
that Saint Andrews sall be as Gideon's fleece; that all the kingdom
about it sall be wet with the dew of heaven, and it sall only be dry?
Even so, will it not be a shame, that all others sall be stirred up, and
ye not a whit stirred up in this day more than if there were not such a
thing? And, therefore, beloved, I would have you to join yourselves with
the rest of the people of God in this cause.

"Thy youth." That is, _thy young men_. Those that are renewed by grace
they are called young, albeit they were never so old, because their age
is not reckoned by their first, but by their second birth. Ay, moreover,
still the older that the children of God grow in years, and the weaker
in the world, they grow younger and stronger in grace. Secondly, they
are called young, because of the strength that they have to resist
temptations. Before they be renewed by grace and born again that way,
they are like bairns, that every temptation prevails with them; but then
they are as young men, who are able to resist temptations to sin, so
that sin gets not liberty to exercise dominion over them. Thirdly, they
are called young, because they will contend with all their power and
might for the faith. I would have all of you to be young in these
respects, and labour to get ane evidence of your new birth by these,
that ye are growing in grace, gaining still more strength to resist
temptations, and by contending earnestly for the faith; even be bold in
this, especially in contending for the truth. Strive for the truth, for,
if ye anes lose it, ye will not get it so easily again. And this same is
the covenant of truth whilk ye are to swear to; for as our Covenant is
renewed, so also it is exponed (explained) according as the exigencies
of the time requires, and it is applied to the present purpose.

Beloved, I told you already that ye have no cause of fear, for I avow
and attest here before God, that what ye do is not against authority,
but for authority, let some men who are wickedly disposed say what they
will; but what ye do is for authority. And I told you of the obligations
whereby authority are bound to this. And for the words of it, because
they are conceived in a terrible manner, ye need not to stand in awe for
this; and it were good that ye should read them over again, and think
upon this wrath of God whilk we pray for to come upon us, if we do
intend anything against authority.

_Objection._ We have oblished ourselves by our subscription already;
what then needs us to obleish ourselves over again by our oath? _Ans._
It's true, I grant, many of you has subscribed it already, and so ye are
bound; but now ye are to swear also, that so through abundance of bands
to God ye may know yourselves to be the more bound to Him. David says, I
have purposed, I have promised, I have sworn, and I sall perform Thy
righteous statutes. There be also here sundry Acts of Parliament, that
are all of them made within this same kingdom for the maintainance of
the true religion; and for thir, they speak for themselves. And I would
have these who say we do anything against law and against our superiors,
to see and try if there be anything against them, and not all directly
for them.

Beloved, I hope that it will not be necessar for us to spend mickle time
with you in removing of scruples. Good things I know has over many
objections against them from the devil, the world, and our own ill
hearts. And I know some of them who are accounted the learnedst in the
land, have assayed their wits and used their pens to object against
this. But truly these who are judicious, they have confessed that they
have been greatly confirmed by that whilk they have objected; and the
reason of it was, because they who were the most learned assayed
themselves to see what they could say, and yet when all was done, they
had nothing to say that was worth the hearing.

For the first part of this Confession of faith, there is not a word
changed in it; and if so be that men had keeped that part of it free of
sinistrous glosses, and had applied it according to the meaning of those
who were the penners thereof, there needed not to have such a thing ado
as there is now; but because they have put sinistrous glosses upon it
now and misapplied it, therefore it behoved to be explained and applied
to the present time.

The first thing that ye swear to is, That with your whole hearts ye
agree and resolve, all the days of your life, constantly to adhere unto
and defend the true religion. There is no scruple here. 2. That ye
suspend and forbear the practice of all novations already introduced in
the matters of the worship of God, or approbation of the corruptions of
the public government of the kirk, or civil places and power of kirkmen,
till they be tried and allowed in free assemblies and in parliaments.
Now, I know there be some who make scruples here. How can we, say they,
bind ourselves to forbear the practice of that whilk Acts of Assembly
allows, and Acts of Parliament commands? _Ans._ We do not herein condemn
the Act as altogether unlawful, whatever our judgment be of it, but this
is all what we do. Because such ills has followed upon these novations,
therefore we think it meet now to forbear the practice of them till they
be tried by Assembly and Parliament.

And this is not a breach of the Act, when all is done. Because the Act
is not set down in the manner of a command, but only as a counsel; for
so the Act of the pretended Assembly bears. The words is, "The Assemblie
thinks good," &c., "because all memory of superstition is now past,
therefore we may kneel at the communion." Then, if there be any danger
of superstition, by the very words of the Act we may gather this, that
we should not kneel: and so they who practice now keep the letter of the
Act, but they who forbear keep the meaning thereof more nearly than the
practisers. 3. We promise and swear against the Service-book, Book of
Canons, and High Commission, with all other innovations and ills
contained in our Supplications, Complaints, and Protestations. Now for
the Service-book, I find every one almost to be so inclined willingly to
quite (be done with) it. But let me attest your own consciences, if it
had gone on for a while, and been read among you, as it was begun to be,
if it had not been as hard for you to have quat it as to quit the
Articles of Perth; and therefore, do not deceive yourselves, to let such
things be practised any more. It is a pitiful thing, that those who are
wise otherways should deceive themselves in the matters of God's service
and worship, and suffer others to deceive them also. 4. Ye promise and
swear, to the uttermost of your power to stand to the defence of the
king's majesty, in the defence and preservation of true religion: as
also, every one of you to the mutual defence of another in the same
cause. Now there be a number who says, that in this we come under
rebellion against the king, and we join in a combination against him,
when we join ourselves thus, every one for the defence of another. I say
no more of it but this. It is not disputed here, ye see, whether it be
lawful for subjects to take up arms against their prince or not, whether
in offence or defence; but that we will maintain the true religion, and
resist all contrary corruptions, according to our vocation. And every
one of us oblishes ourselves for the defence of another, only in
maintaining the cause of true religion, according to the laws and
liberties of this kingdom. And indeed, this is very reasonable to be
done, albeit not asked of; for when your neighbour's house is burning,
ye will not run to the king to speir (ask) if ye should help him or not,
before it come to your own; but ye will incontinent put to your hand,
both to help him, and to save your own house. Ye may not say, neither,
that because we may not oppose against authority, that we may not oppose
against Papists or against Prelates; for that were to make ourselves
slaves to men. And the very law of nature binds every one of us to help
another, in a lawful manner, for a good cause. 5. Ye swear, because ye
cannot look for a blessing from God upon your proceedings, except that
with your confession and subscription ye join such a life as becomes
Christians who has renewed their covenant with God,--therefore ye
promise to endeavour at least, for yourselves and all that are under
you, to keep yourselves within the bounds of your Christian liberty, and
to be good ensamples to others in all godliness, soberness, and
righteousness, and of every duty we owe both to God and man. And there
is none who needs to skarre (be frightened) at this; for we are not
hereby to tie any to the obedience of the law, but to the obedience of
the Gospel: and I am sure all are bound at least to please to (strive
after) this. And therefore I would have you to labour to it; and when ye
find that ye cannot get it done, then run to Christ, and beseech Him to
teach you to do it; and to give you strength, according to His promise
made in His new covenant; and so ye sail give glory to God and get good
to your own souls. And, indeed, all of you are obleist to amend your
lives, and to live otherwise than ye have done. And last of all, there
is the _Attestation_.

Now, I hope all these things be so clear to you, that there is not any
scruple in any of your minds. And therefore, that this work may be done
aright, and may be accompanied by the power of God, I would have all of
you to bow your knees before that great and dreadful Lord, and beseech
Him that He would send down the Holy Ghost, and the power of His Spirit,
to accompany the work, that so ye may do it with all your hearts, to His
glory and honour, and to your comfort in Jesus Christ.




THE NATIONAL COVENANT:

EXHORTATION AT INVERNESS.

_BY ANDREW CANT._[3]


Long ago our gracious God was pleased to visit this nation with the
light of His glorious Gospel, by planting a vineyard in, and making His
glory to arise upon Scotland. A wonder! that so great a God should shine
on so base a soil! Nature hath been a stepmother to us in comparison of
those who live under a hotter climate, as in a land like Goshen, or a
garden like Eden. But the Lord looks not as man: His grace is most free,
whereby it often pleaseth Him to compense what is wanting in nature:
whence upon Scotland (a dark obscure island, inferior to many) the Lord
did arise, and discovered the tops of the mountains with such a clear
light, that in God's gracious dispensation, it is inferior to none. How
far other nations outstripped her in naturals, as far did she out-go
them in spirituals. Her pomp less, her purity more: they had more of
antichrist than she, she more of Christ than they: in their reformation
something of the beast was reserved; in ours, not so much as a hoof.
When the Lord's ark was set up among them, Dagon fell, and his neck
brake, yet his stump was left; but with us, stump and all was cast into
the brook Kidron. Hence king James his doxology in face of parliament,
thanking God who made him king in such a kirk that was far beyond
England (they having but an ill-said mass in English) yea, beyond Geneva
itself; for holy-days (one of the beast's marks) are in part there
retained, which (said he) to day are with us quite abolished. Thus to a
people sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death, light is sprung
up. Thus, in a manner, the stone that the builders refused is become the
head of the corner. The Lord's Anointed (to whom the ends of the earth
were given for a possession and inheritance) came and took up house
amongst us, strongly established on two pillars, Jachin and Boaz, and
well ordered with the staves of beauty and bands, and borrowing nothing
from the border of Rome. Her foundation, walls, doors, and windows were
all adorned with carbuncles, sapphires, emeralds, chrysolites, and
precious stones out of the Lord's own treasure. God Himself sat with His
beauty and ornaments therein, so that it was the praise and admiration
of the whole earth. Strangers and home-bred persons wondered. Such was
the glory, perfection, order, and unity of this house, that the altar of
Damascus could have no peace, the Canaanite no rest, heresy no hatching,
schism no footing, Diotrephes no incoming, the papists no couching, and
Jezebel no fairding. Our church looked forth as the morning, fair as the
moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. Then God's
tabernacle was amiable, His glory filled the sanctuary, the clear fresh
streams watered the city of our God; the stoutest humbled themselves,
and were afraid. If an idiot entered the Lord's courts, so great power
sounded from Barnabas and Boanerges, the sons of consolation and
thunder, that they were forced to fall down on their face, and cry,
"This is Bethel, God is here."

But alas! Satan envied our happiness, brake our ranks, poisoned our
fountains, mudded and defiled our streams; and while the watchmen slept,
the wicked one sowed his tares: whence these divers years bygone, for
ministerial authority, we had lordly supremacy and pomp; for beauty,
fairding; for simplicity, whorish buskings; for sincerity, mixtures; for
zeal, a Laodicean temper; for doctrines, men's precepts; for wholesome
fruits, a medley of rites; for feeders we had fleecers; for pastors,
wolves and impostors; for builders of Jerusalem, rebuilders of Jericho;
for unity, rents; for progress, defection. Truth is fallen in the
streets, our dignity is gone, our credit lost, our crown is fallen from
our heads; our reputation is turned to imputation: before God and man we
justly deserve the censure of the degenerate vine; a backsliding people,
an apostate perjured nation, by our breaking a blessed covenant so
solemnly sworn.

Yet, behold! when this should have been our doom, when all was almost
gone, when we were down the hill, when the pit's mouth was opened, and
we were at the falling in, and at the very shaking hands with Rome; the
Lord, strong and gracious, pitied us, looked on us, and cried, saying,
"Return, return, ye backsliding people; come, and I will heal your
backslidings." The Lord hath been so saving, and the cry so quickening,
that almost all of all ranks, from all quarters and corners, are
awakened and on foot, meeting and answering the Lord, saying, "Behold we
come unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord our God, other lords besides Thee
have had dominion over us, but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy
name." All are wondering at the turn, and looking like them that dream,
and are singing and saying, "Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us
for a prey to their teeth; our souls are escaped as a bird out of the
snare of the fowler, the snare is broken, and we are escaped: our help
is in the name of the Lord who made the heaven and the earth." Who
thought to have seen such a sudden change in Scotland, when all second
causes were posting a contrary course? when proud men were boasting and
saying, "Bow down that we may go over;" and we laid our "bodies as the
ground, and as the streets to them that went over." But now, behold one
of God's wonders! So many of all ranks taking the honour and cause of
Christ to heart; all unanimously, harmoniously and legally conjoined as
one man in supplications, protestations and declarations against
innovations and innovators, corruptions and corrupters. Behold and
wonder! That old covenant (once and again solemnly sworn and
perfidiously violated) is now again happily renewed, with such
solemnity, harmony, oaths and subscriptions, that I dare say, this hath
been more real and true in thee, O Scotland, these few weeks bygone,
than for the space of thirty years before. I know Pashurs that went to
smite Jeremiahs, are become at this work Magor-missabib, terror round
about; Zedekiahs that went to smite Micaiahs, seek now an inner chamber
to hide themselves. Tobiah and Sanballat gnaw their tongues, laugh and
despise us, saying, "What is this ye do? Will ye rebel against the king?
Will ye fortify yourselves? Will ye make an end in a day? Will ye remove
the stones out of the heaps of rubbish that is burnt?" Rehum the
chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, cease
not to fill the ears of a gracious prince with prejudice, saying, "Be it
known to thee, O king, if this city be built, and the walls thereof set
up again, that they will not pay toll, tribute or custom." But to these
we answer, "Let the king live, and let all his enemies be confounded,
let all that seek his damnation be put to shame here and henceforth: but
as for you, ye are strangers, meddle not with the joy of God's people;
ye have no portion, right, nor memorial in God's Jerusalem." If the
begun work vex them, it is no wonder; it does prognosticate the ruin of
their kingdom, and that Haman, who hath begun to fall before the seed
of the Jews, shall fall totally: the Lord is about to prune His
vineyard, and to drive out the foxes that eat the tender grapes; to
pluck up bastard plants, and to whip buyers and sellers out of the
temple. The Lord is about to strike the Gehazis with leprosy, and to
bring low the Simon Maguses who were so high lifted up by Satan's
ministry. The Lord is calling the great ones to put too their shoulder,
and help His work; He hath been in the south, saying, "Keep not back,"
and blessed be God, they have not. He hath now sent to the north,
saying, "Give up, bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the
ends of the earth:" contend for the faith once delivered to Scotland.

There is one Lord, one faith, one cause that concerns all. Though this
north climate be cold, I hope your hearts are not, at least they should
not be. The earth is the Lord's and its fulness, the world and they that
dwell therein; the uttermost parts of the earth are given to Christ for
a possession; His dominion is from sea to sea, and from the river to the
ends of the earth. Come then, and kiss the Son; count it your greatest
honour to honour Christ, and to lend His fallen truths a lift; come and
help to build the old wastes, that ye may be called the repairers of the
breach; and then shall all generations call you blessed; then shall God
build up your houses, as He did to the Egyptian midwives, for their
fearing God, and for their friendship to His people Israel. Be not like
the nobles of Tekoa, of whom Nehemiah complained, that they would not
put their necks to the work of the Lord. Be not like Meroz, whom the
angel of the Lord cursed bitterly, for not coming to the help of the
Lord against the mighty. Neither be ye like these mockers and scorners,
at the renewing of the Lord's covenant in Hezekiah's days, but rather
like those whose hearts the Lord humbled and moved. Be not like those
invited to the king's supper, who refused to come, and had miserable
excuses, and therefore should not taste of it. We hope better things of
you; God hath reserved and advanced you for a better time and use: but
if ye draw back, keep silence, and hold your peace, God shall bring
deliverance and enlargement to His church another way; but God save you
from the sequel. Nothing is craved of you but what is for God and the
king; for Christ's honour, and the kirk's good, and the kingdom's peace.
God give to your hearts courage, wisdom and resolution for God and the
king, and for Christ and His truths. _Amen._




THE NATIONAL COVENANT

SERMON AT GLASGOW.[4]

_By ANDREW CANT._

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, who made a marriage
for his son: and he sent forth his servants to call them that were
bidden to the wedding; and they would not come," etc.--_Matt._ xxii. 2,
3, 4, 5, 6.


I purpose not to handle this parable punctually, because it stands not
with the nature of a parable, neither will the time suffer me so to do.

The parable runs upon an evident declaration and clear manifestation of
God's sweetest mercies, in offering the marriage of His Son, His own
Son, His well-beloved Son, the Son of His love, the Son of His bosom,
the Son as good as the Father, the Son as great and as glorious as the
Father, the Son whose generation none can declare. The Father offers
this His Son in marriage: 1. To the Jews, as you have in the first seven
verses of the parable. 2. To the Gentiles, in the rest of the parable.

1. To the Jews, not because of their worthiness; "But even so, O Father,
for so it seemed good in Thy sight." This offer was the effect of no
merit, neither of congruity nor of condignity in the Jews; for they were
like that wretched and menstruous infant, Ezek. xvi. 3, 4, unswaddled,
unwashen, uncleansed, "lying in its blood, its navel not cut, nor
salted at all, nor swaddled at all, cast out in the open field, having
no eye to pity it."

2. As for the Gentiles, ye may see what case they were in, if ye read
this same parable, Luke xiv. 20. "Go ye out into the streets and lanes
of the city, and call the poor, the lame, blind and maimed," etc. Some
were cripple, some poor and blind, and withered, and miserable, and
naked, and leper, unworthy to come to our Lord's gates, let be to have
them opened wide to us; unworthy to be set down at His table, let be to
be admitted to His royal marriage feast, and to get Christ our Lord to
be our match, and to be the food and cheer of our souls: and therefore
let all souls, let all pulpits, let all schools, let all universities,
let all men, let all women, let all Christians cry, grace, grace, grace,
praise, praise, praise, blessing, blessing, for evermore to the Lord's
free grace. Fy, fy, upon the man; fy, fy, upon the woman, that is an
enemy to the Lord's free grace. The fullest, and the fairest, and the
freest thing in heaven or earth is the free grace of God, to our poor
souls: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name be the
glory."

At another occasion I handled the parable after a more general manner,
and propounded these points unto you: 1. Who was this great king? 2. Who
was the Son of this great king?

1. This great King is God Himself, "the King of kings, and Lord of
lords." Then for the Lord's sake, stand in awe of Him, love Him and fear
Him. And I charge you all here before that great and dreadful Lord, that
ye humble yourselves under His mighty hand, and that ye prostrate and
submit yourselves under His almighty hand, and come away as ye promised.
Kiss the Son, and embrace Him, and then shall wrath be holden off you;
and a shower of God's mercy shall come down upon you. Then the King is
God.

2. The King's Son is Christ. Then there follows a dinner, "I have
prepared my dinner." Yea, I have a supper also, for Luke says, He
"prepared a great supper." I told you in what respects it is great. 1. I
told you it was great in respect of the author of it, God. 2. I told you
it was great in respect of the matter of it. Ye know the matter of it,
as holy Scripture tells. Whiles it gets base, silly, simple names, and
is delineated and expressed under common terms: but the most common term
it gets is so considerable that our case would not be good if it were
wanting. Whiles 'tis called "a feast of fat things full of marrow, of
wine on the lees well refined." Whiles it is called "gold." Whiles it is
called "fatlings, and a fatted and fed calf." Whiles 'tis "honey and
milk." Whiles it is called "oil and wine." Whiles it is called the
"bread of life." In a word, to tell you what this feast is, it is this
Christ and all His saving graces freely given to thy soul. Then, 3. It
is great in respect of the manner of its preparation: I confess, this
feast, though prepared in silver, is often administered in earthen
vessels, and clay dishes: and, though it be mingled with butter and
honey, yet this makes the natural man, when he looks upon it, not to
think much of it, because he looks on the outside of it only. But would
to God your eyes were opened to see the inside of it, and not to be like
proud Naaman, who said, "What better is this water of Jordan than the
water of Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus?" As some say, What
better is this feast than the feast we have at home? As the man of God
prayed for his servant, "Lord, open his eyes that he may see;" and the
Lord opened his eyes, and he saw another sight, even the mountain full
of horses and flaming chariots of fire; so, I pray the Lord open all
your eyes, that ye may see the many differences between this feast and
all other feasts; for other feasts are but feasts for the body, and they
are but feasts for the belly; an Esau may have them, a reprobate may
feed upon them. These are nothing else but the swine's husks, whereon
the prodigal fed for a time, and scarce could get them; but when he came
back again to his father's house, then he fed upon the fatted calf; and
then he got a feast, and then was there plenty, then did his well run
over, then was his cup to the brim, and overflowing. O that ye knew your
Father's house, and the fatness, the fulness, the feast, and the plenty
that are there, ye would all hunger after it, and would then say, alas!
I have been feeding on husks too long, "now will I arise and go to my
father's house, where there is bread enough." All the Lord's steps drop
plenty and fatness. 4. I told you that this supper is a great feast in
respect of the great number that are called unto it. The poorest thing
in all the land is called unto it: the Jews are called, the Gentiles are
called, yea the poorest thing that is hearing me is called; such as a
great man would not look on, but he would close the gates on such an
one; a great man would not deign himself to look on them in his kitchen;
yet come ye away to this feast, the King of kings has His house open,
and His gates patent, He has a ready feast, and a room house, and fair
open gates, and every body shall be welcome that will come. "Whosoever
thirsts; let him come, and take of the water of life freely." And now
through all the nooks and corners of this kingdom of Scotland, Christ is
sending out His servants, and I am sent out unto you this day, crying
unto you, "Come away, His oxen and fatlings are killed, His wine is
drawn, and His table furnished, and all things ready." 5. I told you it
was a great feast, in respect of the place where it is kept. There are
two dining-rooms:--(1) A dining-room above. (2) A dining-room below. A
dining-room above, that is a high dining-room, that is a fair house,
that is a trim place. O the rivers of the Lord's consolations that run
there: I confess, in this lower dining-room of the church, the waters
come first to the ankles, then to the mid-leg, then to the knees, then
to the thigh, and then past wading; but then shall ye get fulness, when
ye come up to that dining-room. And when ye come there, there shall be
no more hunger, no more thirst, there shall be no more scant nor want,
nor any more sour sauce in your feasts, neither any more sadness, nor
sorrowful days; but eat your fill, and drink your fill. And many shall
come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the
south, and shall sit down at the royal and rare covered table, with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and get their fill to their hungered--"When I
awake (says David) I shall be filled with Thy likeness." Poor soul, thou
canst never get thy fill; I wish to God thou got a sop and a drop to set
thee by till then. Indeed, if thou hadst a vessel, thou shouldst get thy
fair fill even in this life. And I dare say, if thou wouldst seek, and
seek on, and seek instantly, the Lord would one day or other make thee
drink of the new wine of the gospel; He would give thee a draught, a
fair draught, a fill, a fair fill of the wine of His consolation, He
would make you suck the milk at the breasts of His consolation; but He
will aye keep the best wine hindmost, as He did at the marriage of Cana.
Therefore, poor thing, lift up thy head, and gather thy heart; ere it be
long thou shalt get a draught of the best wine in thy Father's house,
where there are many mansions, and many dwelling-places. "I go (says
Christ) to prepare a place for you:" and He will come again, and receive
you to Himself, where ye shall drink abundantly of the new wine of the
gospel. _Lastly_, This supper is a great one in respect of the
continuance of it; it lasts not for one day, but for ever; it lasts not
for a hundred and four-score days, but for ever, and evermore. Poor
thing, who possibly gets some blyth morning blinks in upon thy soul, and
possibly gets a taste of this cup in the morning, and long ere even thou
art hungering and thirsting again, and thou wots not where to meet thy
Lord, and all the thing thou hast gotten is forgotten; in the day that
He shall come, then thou shalt feast constantly and continually in thy
Father's house, where thou shalt never want thy arms full, thou shalt
never want thy Lord out of thy sight, neither shall thy Lord ever want
thee, but He shall ever be with thee, and thou with Him; thou shalt
follow the Lamb whithersoever He goes.

"Behold I have prepared my dinner." All this feast was for a marriage;
and here is a wonder, a world's wonder, a behold, which notes divers
things: 1. Behold it for an admiration. 2. Behold it for an excitation.
3. Behold it for consolation. 4. Behold it for instruction. Behold, and
be awakened; behold, and be excited; behold, and be comforted; behold,
and admire; behold, and wonder, that the King of heaven's Son will marry
your soul! Then behold, and come away to your own marriage; behold, lost
man shall get a Saviour, behold, the King's Son will be a Saviour to a
slave; behold, the King's Son will drink the potion, and the sick shall
get health; behold, the King's Son will marry Himself upon thee! "I will
marry thee unto Me in faith and in righteousness." "Thou that was a
widow and reproached," like a poor widow that has many foes, but few
friends; yet, says the Lord, "Thou shalt not remember the reproach of
thy widow-hood any more." Then behold, and come away to the marriage.
Now, "Who are these that are invited to the marriage?" I told you, 1.
The Jews are invited. 2. The Gentiles are invited; yea, you are invited;
I thank the bridegroom you are invited; I shall bear witness of it, when
I am gone from you, you are invited. And I thank the Lord, I have more
to bear witness of; yea, that which comforts my soul, by all appearance
the greatest part of you are come in, and by all good appearance ye have
the wedding garment. I hope God has a people among you; this I shall
bear witness of, when I am gone from among you; the greatest part has
lent an ear; the Lord bear it in upon your hearts with His own blessed
preference.

1. "He sent His servants forth." He gives many a cry Himself, and many a
shout Himself. Is not that one of God's cries, "Come unto Me, all ye
that are weary and laden, and I will ease you." O but that is a sweet
word, thou art a weary thing, with a sore load of sin upon the neck of
thy soul, and thou art like to sink under it, and art crying, what will
come of thee? He is bidding thee come away, and get a drink of the
marriage-wine to cheer thy fainting spirit; and if thou be weary, He
shall ease thee.

_Object._ Alas! Sin hinders me, that I cannot come; sin is so black and
ugly upon me, and so heavy, that I cannot come. _Ans._ "Come (says the
Lord) I will reason with you," that is, I will have your faults
discovered, and I will have you convicted of your faults; but when I
have reasoned with you, will I cast you away? Nay, but though your sins
were red as "crimson, they shall be made white as snow or wool."

_Object._ 2. Alas! but my sins are many, how can the Lord look upon me
or pardon me? _Ans._ "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, for He
will abundantly pardon; for My ways are not your ways, neither My
thoughts your thoughts; but as the heaven is high above the earth, so
are My thoughts, (in pardoning) higher nor yours" (in sinning). Come
away, poor thing, then, and get thy heart full of mercy; and because
such a fair offer is hard to be laid hold on, therefore He goes to the
market-cross, like an herald with a great O yes, that all men there may
be awakened. It is not little that will awaken sleeping sinners,
therefore He puts too an O yes. "Ho, come every one that thirsteth, buy
wine and milk without money, and without price. Why do ye spend your
money for nought?" Ye have spent your strength too long in vain; ye have
been feeding on husks too long; ye have forsaken mercy and embraced
vanity too long. Come away, and He "will make an everlasting covenant
with you, even the sure mercies of David."

2. "He sent forth His servants." This is a great wonder, that He calls
on His servants, and sends them to them; this is wonderful! He stood not
on compliments, who should be first in the play: ye would never have
sought Him, if He had not sought you; ye would never have loved Him, if
He had not loved you with the love of Christ. I would say a comfortable
word to a poor soul; is there any soul in this house this day, that has
chosen the Lord for the love and delight of his soul? Thou wouldst never
have chosen Him, if that loving and gracious God had not chosen thee. Is
there any soul in this house this day, that is filled with the love of
Christ? Thou wouldst never have loved Him if He had not loved thee
first. Is there any soul that is seeking unto Him in earnest? Be
comforted, He is seeking thee, and hast found thee, and gart thee seek
Him. I might produce scripture for all these, but the points are plain.

3. Lo, a greater wonder! "He sent forth His servants." Ye would think,
if any had wronged you, it were their part to seek you, and not yours to
seek them; or if any baser than another had done a wrong, it beseemed
him to be the most careful to take pains, and seek to him whom he had
wronged. But behold here a wonder! The great God seeking base man! the
offended God seeking offending man! And is this because He has need of
you? Nay, canst thou be a party for Him? Canst thou hold the field
against Him? Nay, "Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, Why
hast Thou made me thus?" Shall the crawling worm and the pickle of small
dust fight against the King of kings? Art thou able to stand out against
Him, or pitch any field against Him? Nay, I tell thee, O man, there is
not a pickle of hair in thy head, but if God arise in anger, He can
cause it seem a devil unto thee, and every nail of thy fingers, to be a
torment of hell against thee. O Lord of hosts, and King of kings, who
can stand out against Thee? And yet thou hast offended Him, and run away
from Him, and miskent Him, and transgressed all His commandments, and
hell, and wrath, and judgment is thy portion which thou deservest, and
yet the Lord is sending out His servants, to see if they can make an
agreement. Then, for God's sake, think on this wonder: for all this text
is full of wonders, all God's works are indeed full of wonders, but this
is the wonder of wonders. We then are God's ambassadors, I beseech you
to be reconciled to God. Should not ye have sought unto Him first, with
ropes about your necks, with sackcloth upon your loins, and with tears
in your eyes? Should not ye have lain at His door, and scraped, if ye
could not knock? And yet the Lord hath sent me to you, and our faithful
men about here, crying, Come away to the marriage: Come away, I will
renew My contract with you; I will not give you a bill of divorcement,
but I will give My Son to you; and your souls that are black and blae, I
will make them beautiful. Behold yet another wonder! When He has sent
out other servants, and they got a nay-say; yet He will not take a
nay-say. Ye know a good neighbour, when he has prepared a dinner for
another of his neighbours, sends out his servants, intimating that all
things are ready, the table is covered, and dishes set on; if once
warned, he refuses, he might well send once or twice to him, but at last
he would take a displeasure, and not send again: but behold a wonder! He
sends out His servants, in the plural number. But behold a great wonder!
After one servant is abused, He sends out others, and when they are
slain, and spitefully used by these who should have followed their call,
and come in; what does the Lord? Read the chapter before, and ye shall
see a great wonder; "He sent out His own SON:" when Moses cannot do it,
when the prophets cannot do it, when John the Baptist cannot do it;
well, says the Lord, I will see if My Son can do it; I have not a Son
but one, and that is the Son of My love, and I will make Him a man, and
send Him down among them, and see how they will treat Him: and when He
comes, they cry out, "There is the heir, let us kill him." But behold a
greater wonder! That after these servants are abused, and spitefully
handled; and after the Son Himself is come, and has drunken of the same
cup, after He has died a shameful death, and after they had put their
hands on the heir; yet, when all is done, the Lord sends servants upon
servants, preachers upon preachers, apostles upon apostles to call in
the people of the Jews, to see if they will marry His Son. Then behold
and wonder at all these wonders! and let all knees bow down before God.
Lord stamp your hearts with this word of God: God grant you could be
kind to Him, as He has been kind to you, and testified the same, by
putting salve to your soul, and bringing it into the wedding.

"He sent forth His servants." We may learn from this, that we who are
the brethren in the ministry must be servants, and not lords. I wish at
my heart, that we knew what we are, and that we knew our calling, and
what we have gotten in trust; for we serve the best Master in the world;
but I'll tell you He is the strictest Master that can be. I'll tell
thee, O minister, and I speak it to thee with reverence, and I speak it
to myself, There is a day coming, when thou must answer to God for what
thou has got in charge, thou must answer to God for all the talents thou
hast got, whether ten or two; for all have not got alike. But, dear
brethren, happy is the man, if he had but one talent, that puts it out
for his Lord's use; and Lord be thanked, that He will seek no more of
me than He has given me. There are many things to discourage a faithful
minister; but yet this may encourage us, that we serve the best Master,
and that is a sure recompence of reward that is abiding us. Indeed He
has not sent us out to seek ourselves, or to get gain to ourselves, He
has not sent us out to woo a bride to ourselves, or to woo home the lord
to our own bosom only: but He has sent us to woo a bride, and to deck
and trim a spouse for our Lord and Master. And ye that are ministers of
Glasgow ye shall all be challenged upon this; whether or not ye have
laboured to woo and trim a bride for your Lord: but I know that you will
be careful to present your flocks as a chaste spouse to Him. And we also
that are ministers in landwart, we are sent out for this errand, it
matters not what part of the world we be in, if we do our Master's
service; and the day is coming when thou must answer to God for thy
parish, whether thou hast laboured to present it as a chaste spouse to
Christ. It may gar the soul of the faithful minister leap for joy, when
he remembers the day of His Majesty's faithful meeting and his, when he
shall give up his accounts, and then it shall be seen who has employed
his talent well: then shall He say, "Well done, good and faithful
servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things; enter thou into thy Master's joy." Or rather
"Let thy Master's joy enter into thee, and take and fill thy soul with
it." Many a sad heart has a faithful watchman; but there is a day coming
when he shall get a joyful heart. But for whom especially is this joy
reserved? It is even for those "who convert many to righteousness; they
shall shine like the stars in the firmament, in the kingdom of their
Father." It is plain this belongs not to thee, O faithless watchman.
What hast thou been doing? Busking a bride for thyself? Busking a bride
for the Pope of Rome, the bishop of Rome, even for antichrist? becking
and bingeing to this table and that altar, bringing in the tapistry of
antichristian hangings, and endeavouring to set the crown on another
man's head, nor Christ's? But thou that wilt not set on the crown on His
head, and labour to hold it on, thou O preacher, the vengeance of God
shall come upon thee, the blood of souls shall be upon thee. Many a
kirk-man eats blood, and drinks blood; Lord deliver our souls from
blood-guiltiness. Dear brethren, let us repent, let us repent: I trow we
have been all in the wrong to the Bridegroom; shame shall be upon thee
that thinks shame to repent. I charge you all, before the timber and
stones of this house, and before that same day-light that ye behold, and
that under no less pain nor the loss of the salvation of your souls,
that ye wrong not the Bridegroom nor his bride any more. But we come to
our point:

We are servants and not lords. I see never a word in this text, nay, nor
in all the scripture that the Master of the feast sent out lords to woo
home his bride; He "sent out His servants," but not His lords. Read all
the Bible from the beginning to the ending, you shall not find it. Daft
men may dispute, and by respect may carry it away; but read all the Old
and New Testament both, and let me see if ever this lord prelate, or
that lord bishop, was sent to woo home his bride.

_Object._ 1. We have our prerogative from Aaron, from Moses, from the
apostles, from Timothy. _Ans._ I trow ye be like bastard bairns that can
find no father. So they shall never be able to get a father, for man has
set them up, and man is their father.

_Object._ 2. Find we not the name of bishop under the New Testament?
_Ans._ Yes; but not the bishop of a diocese, such as my Lord Glasgow,
and my Lord St. Andrew's; but we find a pastor or a bishop over a flock.
It is a wonderful matter to me, that men should think to reason this
way; for in the Old Testament there is not an office, nor an
office-bearer, but is distinctly determined in the making of the
tabernacle; there is not a tackle, nor the quantity of it, not a
curtain, nor the colour thereof, not a snuffer, nor a candlestick, nor a
besom that sweeps away the filth, nor an ash-pan that keepeth the ashes,
but all are particularly set down; yet, ye will not get a bishop, nor an
archbishop, nor this metropolitan, nor that great and cathedral man, no
not within all the Bible. The Lord pity them; for indeed I think them
objects of pity, rather than of malice. Christ is a perfect king, and a
perfect prophet. Thou canst never own Him to be a perfect priest and
king, that denies Him to be perfect prophet; and a perfect prophet He
can never be, except He has set down all the offices and office-bearers
requisite for the government of His house; but so has He done, therefore
is He perfect.

_Obj._ 3. But they will call themselves servants. _Ans._ 1. The fox may
catch a while the sheep, and the Pope may call himself _servus
servorum_, the servant of servants: and they will call themselves
brethren, when they write to us; but they will take it very highly and
hardly, if we call them brethren, when we write back to them again: but
men shall be known by their fruits, and by their works, to be what they
are, and not what they call themselves. But if they will be called
servants and yet remain lords, let them take heed that they be not such
servants, as cursed Canaan was, "a servant of servants shall he be."
Take heed that they be not serving men's wrath and vengeance, and not
servants "by the grace of God, and by the mercy of God," as they style
themselves. 2. Let them take heed that they be not such servants as
Gehazi was; he was a false servant, he ran away after the courtier
Naaman, seeking gifts, and said his master sent him, when (God knows)
his master sent him not; at the time he should have been praying to the
Lord, to help his poor kirk and comfort her; the curse and vengeance of
God came upon him, and he was stricken with leprosy for his pains; such
servants are these men who now sit down on their cathedral nests,
labouring to make themselves great like Gehazi: let them take heed that
their hinder end be not like his. 3. Let them take heed that they be not
such servants as Ziba was to Mephibosheth, who not only took away what
was his by right, but also went to the king with ill tales of poor
cripple Mephibosheth: such servants are these who not only rob the
church of her privileges and liberties, but also run up to the king with
lies and ill tales of poor Mephibosheth, the cripple kirk of Scotland.
4. Let them take heed that they be not such servants as Judas was, an
evil servant indeed; he sold his Master for gain, as ill servants do. Or
like these that strike the bairns when they are not doing any fault: and
they are ill servants who busk their master's spouse with antichrist's
busking. Wo unto them, and the man who is the head of their kirk, whose
cross and trumpery they would put on the Lord's chaste spouse. But if
they will call themselves servants, and yet remain lords, let them take
heed that they be not of this category that I have reckoned up. The Lord
make us faithful servants, and the Lord rid His house of them.

Time will not suffer me to go through the rest of the text, only I will
take a glance of some things which make for your use at this time.

_Quest._ How are their servants treated? _Ans._ Some of them get
_nolumus_ upon the back of their bill: some of them are beaten, and
spitefully used and slain. Dear hearts, know ye not how Moses was used?
how Aaron and Jeremiah, &c., were used? how Zechariah was slain between
the porch and the altar? how Jeremiah was smitten; and he that did it,
got his name changed into Magor Missabib, _terror round about_? Know ye
not that Zedekiah struck Micaiah; and how his threatenings against him
came to pass? Always we may learn from this, that the Lord's best
servants have been, and will be abused, and spitefully used? This is a
great sin lying upon Scotland, England and Ireland. Many faithful
servants in the three kingdoms have been spitefully used; their cheeks
burnt, their noses ript up, their faces marked; some of them put into a
stinking prison, where they had not an hour's health, and many of them
rugged from their flocks, and their flocks from them. Look over to the
kingdom of Ireland, the many desolate congregations that are there; many
a dear one there, that would have had a blyth soul, to have had your
last Sunday, or seen it, or to have assurance of such a day before they
come into Heaven. Pray for the peace of Zion, and pity those poor things
who would be content to go from one sea-bank to the other, to be in your
place to-day. And truly the blood of these poor things is crying for
vengeance to light where it should light; for the blame lies upon none
but the proud prelates. If I would pose you with this question, as you
will answer to God, Who have been the instruments of all this mischief?
I am sure the most ignorant among you can answer, None but the proud
beasts the prelates. The Lord give them repentance.

I know not how you have handled your pastors in this town, because I am
but a stranger; but trow ye that two silly men that came among you can
do any thing, if your own pastors had not laid the foundations: but, for
God's sake, honour and respect your pastors, I mean those of them that
keep the covenant of Levi. And ye that have broken it, and will not come
to renew it again, shame and dishonour will be upon you for evermore. I
have my message from the 2nd of Malachi, "I will pour contempt upon them
who have broken the covenant of Levi." Therefore let pastors and people
enter both within this covenant; for it is the sweetest thing in the
world, to see pastors and a people going one way. Therefore come away
all of you unto the wedding, come and subscribe the contract, put your
heart and hand to it. Blessed be God for what already ye have done.

Some of the servants got a nay-say, and some of them were beaten; hence
we learn, that every minister will not be beaten, nor will get the
stroke to keep; but if a minister get a nay-say, it will make him as sad
as if he had gotten sore strokes. If a minister get a nay-say that has
been travailing these many years in the ministry, and yet cannot get one
soul brought unto the Lord, that will make him as sad as sore strokes
will do. When an honest minister has laboured many years painfully in
the sweat of his brows, and has never had another tune, but, Come away,
come away unto the marriage; and when he walks among them, and sees
never one coming in, nor never one that has on the wedding garment, what
will be the complaint of the poor man? O then he will cry out with
Isaiah, "Lord, who believes my report, and to whom has the arm of the
Lord been made naked? Lord, I have laboured in vain, and spent my
strength for nought." What will come of me, after so many years' travail
in the ministry? I have not brought forth one child. The Lord forbid
that ye our people break your ministers' hearts. And as for you,
brethren, be more watchful over your flocks, be more busy in catechising
and exhorting them. And urge the duty of the covenant upon them, and
when they are on foot, hold them going; lead them to the fountain and
cock-eye. Lead them to the well-spring; and make meikle of them; feed
the Lord's lambs, as Christ said to Peter, "If thou lovest Me, feed My
sheep; lovest thou Me? I say, feed My sheep." Minister, lovest thou me?
feed my bais'd sheep: lovest thou me? feed my lambs. You must be
feeders, and not fleecers; pastors, but not wolves; builders, but not
destroyers; and come away, and help up the broken-down wall of
Jerusalem. For if one of you can bring timber here, another bring
mortar, a third bring stones, and make up a slap in Zion; and I hope we
that came here shall go home with blyth news to our congregations, that
we cannot say we have got a cold welcome; so I hope ye will think it
your greatest comfort, and your greatest credit also. Venture in
covenant with God, and whosoever thou be, that wilt not enter in
covenant, we will have thy name, and we will pour out our complaints
before God for thee; for we that are ministers must be faithful to our
Master; and I take you all to witness, that we have discharged our
commission faithfully; and I hope the blessing of the Lord shall be upon
them that have given us an invitation of this kind: and it may be your
greatest comfort, that now ye may go homely unto the Lord, being
formerly in covenant with Him; and your greatest credit also, for ye
never got such a credit, as to lend your Master's honour a lift. We come
to the excuses.

"But they went their way, one to his farm, and another to his
merchandise." Luke is more large in this, and saith, "I have bought a
piece of ground, and must needs go see it;" another said, "I have bought
five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them;" and the third said, "I have
married a wife and therefore I cannot come." 1. We learn here, that
never a man refuses Christ but from some by-respects, such as a farm,
oxen, and marriage. I never saw a man staying back from the covenant,
but from some by-respects; either some respect to the world, or to men,
or to the court, or such bastard by-respects to some statesmen, or to a
prelate, or to the King himself, who, we trust, ere it be long, shall
think them the honestest men that came in soonest; therefore cast away
all by-respects. The apostle John includes their excuses under three
different expressions, "The pride of life," including the farm; "The
lust of the heart," including the merchandise; and "The lust of the
flesh," including the marriage. Therefore let every soul that would love
and follow Christ, deny himself, and lay aside excuses. Deny thy own
wit, will, and vanities, and lay aside all by-respects, and I shall
warrand thou shalt come running, and get Christ in thy arms. 2. Is it a
respect to prelacy that hinders thee, O Scotland? cursed be the day that
ever they were born. 3. Is it a respect to the novations already come
into Scotland? I may say cursed be these brats of Babel. It had been
best to have rent them at the beginning, for many woful days have they
brought on, and woful divisions have they brought in, and woful
backslidings have they occasioned. Therefore away with these
by-respects. 4. Is it a respect to the king? The Lord bless our king.
Says not the covenant enough for the maintenance of the king? As for the
word which they call combinations, it reserves always the honour of God,
and the honour of the king; protesting, that we mind nothing that may
tend to the diminution of the king's greatness and authority. Yea, I
know no other means under heaven to make many loyal subjects, but by
renewing our covenant.

I would have had the men that made these excuses framing them another
way; I would have had him that married the wife, saying, My wife has
married me; and he that bought his oxen, saying, My oxen have bought me;
and he that went to his farm, saying, My farm has bought me. And if ye
will mark the words, ye will find them run this way. 1. Marriage is
lawful; but when a man beasts himself in his carnal pleasures, then the
wife marries the man; "therefore let them that have wives, be as though
they had them not, and them that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not."
2. Buying of farms is lawful, but when a man becomes a slave to his own
gain, it takes away the soul of him, the farm buys the man; likewise
husbandry is lawful, but when a man yokes his neck under the world, it
trails and turmoils him so, that he cannot take on the yoke of Jesus. 3.
Thus also the merchandise buys the man. Then, for Jesus Christ's sake,
cast away all excuses, and come away now, and marry Christ. 1. Away with
thy bastard pleasures. 2. Away with thy bastard cares, and come away to
Christ, and He shall season all thy cares. 3. Away with thy falsehood,
thy pride, vanity, &c. Away with thy corn, wine and oil, and come to
Christ, and He shall lift up His countenance upon thee. The Lord give
thee a blink of that, and then thou wilt come hopping with all thy
speed, like unto old Jacob, when he saw the angels ascending and
descending, then he ran fast, albeit he was tired, and had got a hard
bed, and a far harder bolster the night before, yet he got a glorious
sight, and his legs were soupled with consolation, which made him run.
Lord blink upon thy lazy soul with His amiable countenance, and then
thou shalt rise and run, and thy fainting heart will receive strength,
when the Lord puts in His hand by the key-hole of the door, and leaves
drops of myrrh behind Him, then a sleepy bride will rise and seek her
Beloved. But to our point.

Marriage is lawful, merchandise is lawful, husbandry is lawful, but
never one of these is lawful when they hinder thee from the Lord.
Neither credit, pleasure, preferment, houses nor lands are lawful, when
they hinder thee from the Lord's sweet presence. Jerome said well,
"Though my old father were hanging about my neck, and my sweet mother
had me in her arms, and all my dear children were sticking about me, yet
when my Lord Jesus called upon me, I would cast off my old father, and
throw my sweet mother under foot, and throw away all my dear children,
and run away to my Lord Jesus." Lord grant, my beloved, that what ye
have heard of Christ may sink in your souls: and when ye have seen poor
things running here and there, to get a prayer here, and a prayer there,
and ye wonder what they are seeking, they are seeking their Beloved; and
if ye ask, "What is their Beloved more than another?" They will answer,
my Beloved is the fairest and trimmest, and the highest and honourablest
in the world; He has the sweetest eyes, the sweetest cheeks, the
sweetest lips, and trimmest legs and arms, "yea He is altogether
lovely;" and then they will be made to cry out, "O thou fairest among
women, tell us whither is thy Beloved gone, that we may seek Him with
thee?" O if we knew Him! Lord work upon you the knowledge of Him. O what
a business would you make to be at Him! Lord grant that our ministry may
leave a stamp upon your hearts. Then had we gotten a rich purchase.
Would to God ye were like that marquis in Italy, who fled from thence to
Geneva, being persecuted by the Jesuits; and when they followed him, and
offered him sums of gold, he answered, "Let those perish forever who
part with an hour's fellowship with Christ, for all the gold under
heaven." And sundry of the martyrs being at the stake, having this and
that offered to them, they had still this word, None but Christ, none
but Christ: and when they were bidden, Have mind of your well favoured
wife, and your poor children; they answered, "If I had all the money and
gold in the world, I would give it to stay with my wife and poor
children, if it were but in a stinking prison; but sweet Christ is
dearer unto me than all." Then cast away all excuse. Would to God we
were like that woman, when going to the stake; "I have borne many
children, (says she) and yet notwithstanding of all these pains, I would
suffer them all over again, for one hour's fellowship with my Lord."
Then come away, come away, cast away all excuses, come away; as the
Saviour says, "The storm is past and over, the winter is away, the time
of singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our
land; arise, my fair one, and come away." God be thanked, there is a sad
winter over Scotland's head, and our figs are blossoming, and our trees
are budding, and bringing forth fruit, now is the turtle singing, and
his voice is heard in our land: now is Christ's voice heard, now is our
Bridegroom standing waiting on our way-coming; and here am I in His
name, crying unto you, Come away: here am I to honour my Master: all
honour be to Him for ever and ever. Come away then, for the winter is
going, the summer is approaching, our vines are blossoming, in token of
a fair summer: arise, arise, and come away.

Ver. 9. "Go ye, therefore, out to the highways:" as if He would say,
Well, I see the Jews will not come in; "therefore go your ways and fetch
in the Gentiles." Yet I hope in God, there shall many of the Jews come
in shortly. They spake for you, when ye could not speak for yourselves;
they said, "We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; what shall
we do for her in the day she shall be spoken for?" Now pray ye for them.
Always they refused to come in, as ye heard; and not being worthy, they
would not come to Him, to make them worthy.--Always, says the Lord, go
out, and call in the Gentiles to My table, My Son may not want a wife:
He is too great a king to want a spouse, and My supper is too good cheer
to be lost; therefore go and fetch in the Gentiles. I thank the Lord
that ye are come in. I know not a town in the kingdom of Scotland that
is not come in, except one, and I am afraid for the wrath of God to
light on that shortly. Always God hath His own time. But trow ye, that
God will give that honour to every one? Nay. I protest in my own silly
judgment (howbeit I cannot scance upon kings crowns) that it were the
greatest honour that ever king Charles got, to subscribe the covenant.
But trow ye that every minister and every burgh will come in? Nay: if
you will read the history, 2 Chron. xxx. 10, you will see the contrary;
when Hezekiah was going to renew the covenant, and to keep the passover,
the holy text says, that numbers mocked, and thought themselves over
jelly to come in; but those whose hearts the Lord had touched, they came
in and kept the blyth day. Indeed I was afraid once, that Christ would
have left old Scotland, and gone to new Scotland, and that He would
have left old England, and gone to new England: and think ye not but He
can easily do this? Has He not a famous church in America, where He may
go? Indeed I know not a kingdom in all the world, but if their plots had
gone on, they had been at antichrist's shore ere now; but all his limbs
and liths, I hope shall be broken, and then shall our Lord be great:
therefore come away in with your wedding garment, and ye that have not
put it on, now put it on, and come away to the marriage: and I thank the
Lord, that ye are prevailed with, by God's assisting of our faithful
brethren to bring you in; the Lord grant that ye may come in with your
wedding garment. It is but a small matter for you to hold up your hand;
and yet, I suspect, some of you when it was in doing took a back-side. I
tell you that it is no matter of sport, to board with God: therefore
come away with your wedding garment; for the Master of the feast sees
you, and knows all that are come to the marriage feast. I know you not,
but my Master knows you every one: He knows who came in on Sabbath and
who came in yesterday, and who will come in to-day, and who are going to
put on their wedding garment, and cast away their duds. Away with your
duds of pride, your duds of greed and of malice; away with all these
duds, and be like the poor blind man in the gospel, who when he knew
that Christ called him, he cast his old cloak from him, and came away;
so do ye, cast aside all excuses, and come to the wedding. And now with
a word of the wedding garment I will end.

This wedding garment consists of three pieces: 1. There is one piece of
it looks to God, and that is holiness. 2. There is another piece of it
looks to ourselves, and that is sobriety. 3. Another piece of it looks
to our neighbour, and that is righteousness.

The first is holiness; I charge you to put it on: ye that are the
provost and bailies, I love you dearly, and all the members of the
town; gentlemen, and all gentlewomen, and all of you I love you dearly;
and therefore I charge you all before God, in my last farewell unto you,
to be holy, according as ye have sworn in your covenant.

2. Be sober. Howbeit I be a stranger, yet I like brotherly love and
Christian fellowship well; but drunkenness and gluttony, feasting and
carousing I hate, especially now when the kirk of Scotland is going in
dool-weed: therefore be sober. 1. Be sober in your apparel; I think
there is too much of gaudy apparel among you. 2. Be sober in your
conceits. 3. Be sober in your judgments. 4. Be sober in your
self-conceiting. 5. Be sober in your speaking. 6. Be sober in your
sleeping. 7. Be sober in your lawful recreations. 8. Be sober in your
lawful pleasures: and finally be sober in all respects; that it may be
seen ye are the people that have renewed your covenant.

3. Be righteous. I know not if ye have false weights and balances among
you; but whether there be or not, I give you all charge, who have sworn
the covenant, to be righteous.

In a word, this wedding garment is Jesus Christ; "Put ye on the Lord
Jesus Christ." I cannot give you a better counsel nor Christ gave to
Martha; forget the many things, and choose that one thing which is
needful; and with David, still desire that one thing, "To behold the
beauty of the Lord in His temple;" and with Paul, "Forget the things
that are behind, and press forward to the prize of the high-calling
thro' Jesus Christ." The Lord fill your hearts with the love of Christ.

If thou askest, What will this garment do to thee? I answer, This
garment serves, 1. For necessity. 2. For ornament. 3. For distinction.

1. For necessity. And this is threefold. 1. To cover thy nakedness, and
hide thy shame. 2. To defend thy body from the cold of winter, and heat
of summer. 3. For necessity, to hold in the life of the body. So put on
Jesus Christ this wedding garment; and, 1. He shall cover the shame of
thy nakedness with the white linen of His righteousness. 2. He shall
defend thee when the wind of trial begins to blow rough and hard, and
when the blast of the terrible One is arising, to rain fire and
brimstone upon the world; "Then He shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in
the day time from the heat, and a place of refuge for a covert from
storm and from rain." "A refuge from the storm, and shadow from the
heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the
wall." When men are pursuing, He shall be a brazen wall about thee; and
when they pursue thee, He shall keep thee in His bosom.

2. A garment is for an ornament. Who is the best favoured body; and the
trimmest soul? Even the poor soul that has put on the bridegroom Jesus:
that soul is fair and white, and altogether lovely, "There is no spot in
it," because the Lord hath put upon it, "Broidered work, bracelets and
ornaments."

3. A garment is for distinction. There must be a distinction among you,
between you and the wicked world, because ye have renewed your covenant
with God: and this distinction must not only be outwardly (for an
hypocrite may seem indeed very fair) but it must be by inward
application. I desire you all that are hearing me, not only to put it
on, but to hold it on: put it on, and hold it on; for it is not like
another garment, neither in matter, nor shape, nor in use, nor in
durance. I may not insist to handle it, but it is not like other
garments, especially it is not like a bridegroom's garment, which he has
on to-day, and off to-morrow. Therefore I charge you all your days, to
hold it on. Ay, that which ye had on upon Sabbath last, and yesterday,
and which you have on this day, see that ye cast it not off to-morrow.
What heard you cried on Sabbath last, and yesterday, and this day?
Hosanna, hosanna. And wherefore cried ye yesterday and this day,
Hosanna, hosanna? Look that when we are away, and your ministers not
preaching to you, that ye cry not, "Crucify Him, crucify Him." I fear
that many who last Sabbath, yesterday and this day, have been crying
Hosanna, hosanna, shall, long ere the next Sabbath, cry, "Crucify Him,
and hang Him up." But I charge you, O sons of Zion, and ye daughters of
Jerusalem, that your tongues never cease in crying, Hosanna, till Christ
come and dwell in your soul.

Ye that are masters of this college, if ye count me worthy to speak to
you, I would have you keep your garments clean, and take heed that ye be
not spotted with uncovenanted spots. Ye that are scholars, take heed
what sort of learning and traditions ye drink in, and hold your garments
clean. We hear of too many colleges in the land, that are spotted; but
we hope in God that ye are yet clean: and young and old of you, take all
heed to your garments, that they be white, and clean, and beautiful.

For the Lord's sake, all ye that are hearing me, take heed to your
garments, but especially ye that have subscribed your covenant, take
heed to your garments; for blyth will your adversaries be, to see any
spot on them. And therefore, for the Lord's sake, study to be holy;
otherwise papists will rejoice at it, and the weak will stumble at it:
and so ye will wound and bore the sweet side of Christ. And therefore
put on your wedding garment, hold it on, and hold it clean; walk wisely
and before the world.

Now I commend you to Him Who is able to strengthen, stablish and settle
you: to Him be glory, honour and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.




[Illustration: Fac-simile of old Title page of following Sermon.]

_The Evil and Danger of_ Prelacy.

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT A

GENERAL MEETING,

IN THE

_Black-Fryar-Church_ of _Edinburgh_,

Upon the 13th Day of _June_, 1638,

AT

The Beginning of our last Reformation from _Prelacy_, after the
Renovation of the National Covenant.

By the Reverand Mr. Andrew Cant, sometime Minister of the Gospel at
Aberdeen.

1 Peter v 3, _Neither as being Lords over God's Heritage: but being
examples to the Flock._

GLASGOW,
Printed for George Paton, Book-seller in _Linlithgow_. MDCCXLI.


SERMON AT EDINBURGH.[5]

_BY ANDREW CANT._

"Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou
shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the head-stone
thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."

--_Zech._ iv. 7.


I perceive that God will have His temple built, which had been long
neglected; partly by the worldliness of the people, who had greater care
of their own houses, than of the house of God; as appears by the prophet
Haggai, chap. i. 3,4. He reproves them for this fault, that they cared
more for their own houses than for the house of God; partly, because of
the great impediments and difficulties they apprehended in the work. Yet
God, having a purpose to have it builded, sends His prophets to stir
them up to the building of it. As for impediments He promises to remove
them all, and assures them of this by Haggai and Zechariah; yea, He
shews to Zerubbabel and the people, that although impediments were as
mountains, yet they should be removed.

I need not stand upon introductions and connections: this verse I have
read, shows the scope of the prophet; viz. God will have His work going
on, and all impediments removed. These times require that I should
rather insist upon application to the present work of reformation in
hand, than to stand upon the temple of Jerusalem, which we know well
enough was a type of Christ's kirk, which in this land was once built,
but now hath been defaced by the enemies of Christ: we have long
neglected the re-edifying of it; partly, men being given more to build
their own houses, nor the house of Christ; and partly, because of the
great impediments that have discouraged God's people to meddle with it.
Now, it hath pleased God to stir up prophets, noblemen, and people of
the land, to put their hands to this work. And I think God saith to you
in this text, "Who art thou, O great mountain? thou shalt become a
plain."

There are two parts in this text; 1. An impediment removed, under the
name of a mountain, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel,
thou shalt become a plain." 2. In the second part of the text, the work
goeth up, and is finished, the impediment being removed, "He shall bring
forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace be
unto it."

But that ye may take up all that is to be said in order and method;
there are six steps in the text, three in the mountain, impeding the
work, and three in the work itself. The three in the mountain are these;
1. It is a mountain seen, "O great mountain!" 2. A mountain reproved,
"Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel." 3. A mountain
removed, "Thou shalt become a plain." The three in the work are; 1. A
work growing and going up. 2. A work finished, "He shall bring forth the
head-stone thereof." 3. A work praised, "He shall bring forth the
head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace be unto it." I
shall speak of all these, God willing, and apply them to the time.

As for the three in the mountain. 1. It is a mountain seen; it is
called a _great mountain_; under this are comprehended all impediments
and difficulties impeding the building; all being taken together make up
a great mountain, which is unpassable; the enemies who impede this work
were this mountain: look and ye will see the adversaries of Judah become
a great mountain in the way of that work.

That ye may take up this mountain the better, I find that kings are
called mountains in Scripture; and good kings are so called, for these
three, 1. For their sublimity; as mountains are high above the valleys,
so are kings lifted up in majesty above their subjects: some apply that
place to kings, "Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye
strong foundations of the earth." 2. They are called mountains for their
strength to guard their people. David saith, "God hath made my mountain
strong." 3. Good kings are called mountains, by reason of their
influence for peace to the people: "The mountains shall bring peace to
the people, and the little hills by righteousness." I find also, that
the strong enemies of the church are called mountains, because of the
great impediments to the kirk's building that are made by them, as ye
may see in Psalm cxliv.

This mountain (that I may speak more plainly) is Prelacy, which hath
ever been the mountain in the way of our reformation. It may be, some of
you that hear me, are not of my judgment concerning episcopacy; for my
judgment, I ever condemned it, as having no warrant for it to be in
Christ's house; yet I am sure, that all of you that are here this day,
will agree with me in this, that prelacy being antichristian, is
intolerable: but such is the prelacy of this kirk, it is antichristian.
I may easily prove, that amongst many marks of antichrist, these two are
most evident, false doctrine and tyranny in government: where antichrist
is, there is tyrannical government, imposing laws upon the consciences
of God's people; where antichrist is, there is idolatry, superstition
and error; these two are clearly in our prelacy: their idolatry,
superstition, and error may be seen in their service-book, their tyranny
may be seen in their book of canons. I think there are none here, but
they may see this mountain: no greater tyranny hath ever been used by
antichrist, than hath been used by our prelates, and exercised upon this
kirk.

This mountain being seen by you all; I would have you take a view of the
quality of it. I find in Scripture, that the enemies of the kirk being
called mountains, are so called, because of these three qualities: the
first is in Psalm lxxvi. 4. they are called "mountains of prey;" so
called, because from them the robbers rush down to the vallies, and prey
upon the passengers. The second is in Jer. li. 25, Babylon, a great
enemy to God's kirk, is called a "destroying mountain;" the word in its
own language, is called a _pestiferous_ mountain, (so called) because
the pest destroys. The third is in Isa. ii. 14, they are called
"mountains of pride;" compared with the twelfth verse, you will find
these mountains called "mountains of pride."

Our mountain of prelacy hath all these three bad qualities: 1. It is a
mountain from which they have, like robbers, made a prey of the kirk of
Christ. Tell me, I pray you, and I appeal to your own consciences, who
are my brethren, if there be any privilege or liberty that ever Christ
gave us, but they have taken it from us, and made a prey of it. 2. This
mountain is a pestiferous mountain; it hath been the mountain that hath
been as a pest, to infect the kirk of Christ with superstition, heresy
and error; and withal, it hath been a destroying mountain; for they have
destroyed the fair carved work of our first reformation. 3. They are
mountains of pride; for greater pride cannot be, than there is upon this
mountain; they rule as tyrants over their brethren, and as lords over
God's inheritance.

Ye that are noblemen are the natural mountains of this kingdom,
descended of noble predecessors who have been as mountains indeed,
defending both kirk and commonwealth. These men were but low vallies,
and now are artificial mountains, made up by the art of man; at first,
as low as their brethren sitting there; but piece and piece, they have
mounted up; at first, commissioners for the kirk, and then obtained vote
in parliament, and then they usurped all the liberties of the kirk
benefices, and then constant moderators to make up this mountain; and at
last, the high commission is given to make the mountain strong; it is
like to Daniel's tree. "The tree grew, and was strong;" and from it, we
that are ministers of Christ have our wreck.

And let me speak to you noblemen, these artificial and stooted mountains
have over-topped you who are the natural mountains; and if they have not
done so, What means the great seal then? and if way could have made for
it, they should have carried the white wand and privy-seal also: and
this is just with God, that they have over-topped you; for every one of
you came with your own shovel-ful, to make up this mountain. It was
thought expedient to rear up this mountain, to command and bear down
poor ministers. Albeit, it is true, we have been borne down by them; yet
ye that are the high mountains, have not been free from their hurt: it
is very like to Jotham's parable, "The trees of the forest will have a
king over them; they come to the olive-tree, and say, Be thou king over
us: the olive saith, I will not leave my fatness to be king: they came
to the fig-tree, and said, Be thou our king; the fig-tree saith, I will
not leave my sweetness to be king: they come likewise to the vine, and
say, Be thou our king; the vine saith, I will not leave my strength to
be king: they come to the bramble and said, Be thou our king; then said
the bramble to the trees, If indeed ye anoint me king over you, then
come and put your trust under my shadow; and if not, let fire come
forth of the bramble, and devour the tall cedars of Lebanon." The
olive-trees of the ministry would not leave the fatness of God's grace,
wherewith they were endued, to rule over the kirk: the fig-trees of the
ministry would not leave the sweet fruits of their ministry, to bear
rule in the kirk: the vines of the ministry would not leave the strong
consolations of God, whereby many souls were comforted, to bear rule in
the kirk: yet the brambles have taken this, and ye helped to exalt them,
upon condition to trust under their shadow; and if fire hath not come
forth from these brambles upon the tall cedars of this land, I leave to
your own thoughts to judge. Always this is the mountain which ye see all
reared up this day, and standing in the way of our reformation.

2. The second thing in this great mountain is this, It is a mountain
reproved: "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel." When he
saith of Zerubbabel, it is not only meant of Zerubbabel, but of the rest
of God's people. There, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of God's people
obeyed the voice of the Lord; and in the 14th verse, all these are said
to work in the house of the Lord: so under Zerubbabel, all the rest of
the people are comprehended; even so in this work of ours, all that are
joined to this work, for the building of this work, are to be accounted
workers; and for them also is this mountain reproved, "Who art thou, O
great mountain?" Who art thou, who will impede this work, or shall be
able to impede it, seeing God will have it forward. It is impossible for
thee to impede it, in these three respects: 1. In respect of the work
itself. 2. In respect of the workers. 3. In respect of the impeders.

1. In respect of the work itself. It is God's work; for the house is
His, and He is in it. The Lord saith, "Be thou strong, Zerubbabel, and
Joshua, and the remnant of the people and work, for I am with you, saith
the Lord of hosts." If God be with a work, who is he that will let or
impede it? God is with this work of reformation, as ye yourselves can
witness; and by all our expectations this mountain is shaken, and (God
be praised) the difficulties are not so unpassable as they were.

2. No man is able to impede this work, in respect of the workers. It is
said, "that God stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, and of Joshua, and
of the people, and they came and wrought in the house of the Lord." When
God stirs up men to do a good work, nothing on earth can stay it: I am
sure if ever God stirred up men to a good work, He hath stirred us up to
this, both noblemen, ministers and people. Wherefore, "Who art thou, O
great mountain" before God's people, that thinks to impede such a work?

3. In respect of the impeders: what are they but men, and wicked men, as
ye may see in the adversaries of the Jews. Who are they that impede our
work? Even men that seek honour and preferment of this world, enemies to
religion, fighting against God; to whom, I may say that word in Job,
"Who hath hardened himself against God, and prospered?" With one word
more I will reprove this mountain, and go forward.

"Who art thou, O great mountain?" Wilt thou search thyself who thou art:
art thou of God's building or not? I trow you are not _juris divini_,
but _humani_; God nor Christ hath never built thee: thou art only a hill
of man's erecting; knowest thou not that Zion, against which thou art,
is a hill of God's building. I will say to you then that word, "The hill
of God is a high hill, as the hill of Bashan: why leap ye, ye hills?
This is the hill that God desireth to dwell in; yea, and will dwell in
it forever." And think ye to prevail against the people of Zion? She
hath stronger mountains to guard her than ye have, "As the mountains are
round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people, from
henceforth and forever."

3. The third thing in this mountain, is, It is a mountain removed,
"Thou shalt become a plain;" that is, God shall remove all impediments
before Zerubbabel, and his people; God is able to remove all that
impedes His work; even the mightiest enemies that oppose themselves to
the work of God. Ye may observe a fourfold power of God against these
mountains.

1. A _determining power_, whereby He sets such bounds to the greatest
mountains, that ye see they fall not upon the vallies, albeit they
overtop them. The Lord hath set bounds to the great kings in the world
which they could not pass, when they have set themselves against the
Lord's people. We may see an example of this in Sennacherib. "Therefore
thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come up
to this city, nor shoot an arrow against it, nor come before it with
shield, nor cast a bank against it." Ye are afraid of the king, that he
come against you: fear not, the Lord by His restraining power is able to
keep him back, that he shall not shoot so much as a bullet against this
city.

2. God removes impediments by His _assisting power_, as He promised to
do before Cyrus. "I will go before thee, and make the crooked places
straight; I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder
the iron bars." Albeit for any thing we see, there be brazen gates, and
iron bars, closing out a reformation: yet let not this discourage you;
God is with you by His assisting power to go before you, to make all
crooked places straight, and to break the brazen gates, and to cut in
sunder the iron bars.

3. God hath a _changing power_, whereby He makes mountains plain: how
easy is it with God, to make the highest mountain that impedes His work
a plain? "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of
waters, to turn it whithersoever He will." Lord make our mountains thus
plain.

The 4th way how God removes mountains, is by an _overthrowing power_:
If there be no change yet, God will bring it down. "Every one that is
lifted up shall be brought low."

By this which hath been said, ye may understand how a mountain may be
made plain. God makes mountains plains, either in mercy or in wrath. 1.
In mercy, when He takes a grip of the heart, and of a proud haughty
heart, makes it toward and plain: we have seen such a change by
experience. This work had many enemies at the beginning, that impeded
it, whom God hath taken by the heart, and made plain; yea, He hath made
them furtherers of the work.

2. There is another way of making mountains plain, to wit, making plain
in wrath; when God overthrows the mountains that stand up impeding His
work. Assure yourselves, if God bring not down this mountain we have to
do with, in mercy, He shall overthrow it in wrath, and make it waste.
That I may make this mountain more plain, ye shall consider how it shall
become a plain, and how easily it may be made a plain.

1. I see you looking up to the height of it, and ye are saying within
yourselves, How shall it come down? Ye must not think that it will come
down of its own accord; God useth instruments to pull down. I find that
God hath made His own people instruments to pull down such mountains:
"Fear not, worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I will help thee, saith the
holy One and thy Redeemer, behold I will make thee a new threshing
instrument having teeth; thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them
small, and shalt make the hills as chaff; thou shalt fan them, and the
wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them." Mark
these words, although Jacob be a worm, despised by the great ones of the
world, yet God will make him a threshing instrument, to beat these
mountains in pieces. The professors of this land are despised by the
mountains; yet fear not, for the sharp threshing instrument is made, I
hope it shall beat the mountains in pieces. We think them very high, but
if we had faith, that word would be verified. "Ye shall say to this
mountain, remove to yonder place, and it shall be removed, and nothing
shall be impossible unto you."

But one is saying, I have not faith, that all that are joined this day
against the mountain shall continue. I hope they shall continue, I hope
they shall; but if they do not, we trust not in men, that they shall
bring down this mountain, but in God, who hath said, "Behold I am
against thee, O destroying mountain, I will stretch out My hand upon
thee, I will roll thee down from the rocks, and make thee a burnt
mountain; they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a
foundation; thou shalt be desolate for ever." This mountain ye see so
exalted, although men would hold it up, yet God will bring it down, and
make it a burnt mountain: even so, O Lord, do.

2. In the second place consider how this mountain may be made a plain: I
told you it was but an artificial mountain, a stooted mountain, standing
upon weak pillars; if ye would take a look of the whole frame of the
mountain, it stands upon two main pillars; and upon the top of the
mountain stands the house of Dagon, an house of false worship, and take
me the pillars from episcopacy, and it shall fall; take episcopacy away,
and the house of Dagon shall fall. The two main pillars that prelacy
stands on are a civil and secular arm, and an ecclesiastical tongue, so
to speak.

1. The _secular arm_ is the authority of princes, which have ever
upholden that mountain: ye know secular princes uphold antichrist, and
prelacy in this land is upholden by the secular power. 2. The second
pillar I call _ecclesiastical_, that is, prelacy in this land hath been
upholden by the tongues of kirkmen, preaching up this mountain, or, by
their pens, writing up this mountain: and these are the two pillars
whereupon our mountain of prelacy is stooted, the secular power, and the
tongues of kirkmen. Let the king withdraw his power and authority from
the prelates, and they shall fall suddenly in dross; let kirkmen and
ministers withdraw their tongues and pens from them, and our mountain
(ere ye look about you) shall become a plain. As these two stoot up this
mountain, so upon this mountain all false worship in the kirk is built,
even Dagon's house. "Lead me," says Samson, "to the pillars that Dagon's
house stands on, that I may be avenged for my two eyes." The Philistines
were never more cruel to Samson in pulling out his eyes, than our
prelates would have been to us: they pressed to put out our eyes, and
ere ever we were aware, they thought to lead us to Dagon's house, even
to the tents of popery and idolatry. Let us come to this main pillar of
Dagon's house, and apply all our strength to pull it down; that we may
not only be avenged for our eyes, which they have thought to pull out,
but also that the house of false worship, which is erected upon this
mountain, may fall to the ground.

I hear some say, Minister, for all you are saying, the mountain will not
come down at this time; ye think nothing but it will come down. I assure
you, I would have it down, but ye must not think us that silly, as to
think it will come down, because we have many for us; we trust not in
men, but in God; and if this be the time that God will have it down,
although ye should lay all your hands about their head, they shall come
down: it appears they will come down, if there were no more but their
pride, avarice, cruelty, and loose living to pull them down, especially
when all these are come to height, as they are come to in them. And so
much for the mountain; ye see we have reproved it, God remove it.

I come now to the three in the work, the mountain being removed, 1. It
is a work growing and going up; "He shall bring forth." 2. It is a work
finished; "He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof." 3. It is a work
praised; "He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting,
crying, grace, grace, be unto it." We shall speak of all these three
shortly.

1. It is a work going up; it was impeded, but now it is going up. There
is something here very considerable; the work goes not up until the
mountain be made a plain. The mountain must not be pared or topped, but
it must altogether become plain, otherwise the work cannot go up, the
mountain of prelacy must not be pared nor topped, something taken away,
but it must be brought down wholly, otherwise the work of Reformation
cannot go on, neither Christ's house go up.

It will be said, What ails you? You shall have your desires, but the
estate of bishops must stand; it is impossible to bring it down
altogether; the king may not want an estate, (truly a good one both to
kirk and commonwealth) ye shall have them brought within the old bounds
and caveats set down to them; they shall not hurt the kirk any more. The
Lord knows how loath I was to speak from this place; but seeing God hath
thrust me out, I must speak the truth.

I say to you these quarters are not to be taken, because the mountain is
not of God's making, but of man's; therefore make it what ye will, God
will be displeased with it; yea it is impossible to set caveats to keep
them. I appeal to all your consciences, Is it possible to set caveats to
their pride and avarice? Their pride and avarice will break through ten
thousand caveats. I will clear this impossibility by similitudes. Tell
me, if a fountain in the town of Edinburgh were poisoned, whether were
it more safe to stop up the fountain, than to set a guard to keep it,
that none draw out of it, for there is hope the poison would do no harm?
There is no man of a sound judgment, but he will think it more safe to
stop up the fountain, than to guard it: this prelacy is the poisoned
fountain, wherefrom the kirk of Christ hath been poisoned with the
poison of error and superstition. Now the question is, Whether it be
safer to stop it up than to guard it? Surely it is safer to stop it up;
for all the caveats in the world will not keep the kirk unpoisoned, so
long as it remains. I will give you another similitude: If the town of
Edinburgh were (as many towns have been, and are) taken and possest by
cruel and obstinate enemies, who would take all your liberties from you,
would not suffer your magistrates to judge, and would spoil you of your
goods, and use all the cruelty that could be devised against the
inhabitants, if God give you occasion to be free of such a cruel and
obstinate enemy: what would you do if this were proponed to you? Why may
not you suffer the enemy to abide within the town? We shall take all
their weapons from them, they shall never hurt you any more. Would ye
not think it far better to put them out of the town altogether; both
because the inhabitants would be in fear, so long as they were in the
town, and because the town would never be sure: for there might be
traitors among yourselves, who would steal in weapons for their hands;
and so they would bring you under the former tyranny, yea under a
greater. Even so it is in this case; the crudest and greatest enemies
that ever the kirk of Scotland saw are those prelates; they have spoiled
us of all our liberties, and exercised intolerable tyranny over us. Now
the Lord is shewing a way how to be quit of them: consider the condition
offered. What ails you? May ye not let them abide within the kirk: we
shall take all their weapons from them; as admission of ministers,
excommunication, and that terrible high commission; they shall never
hurt you again. This is but the counsel of man; the counsel of God is,
to put them out of the kirk altogether, otherwise the kirk can never be
secure; yea, I assure you, there are as many traitors among ourselves,
as would steal in the weapons again in their hands; then shall our
latter estate be worse than our first: if our yoke be heavy under them
now, it shall be heavier then; if they chastise us now with whips, they
shall chastise us then with scorpions. I think I hear men speak like
that word, "Hew down the tree, cut down his branches, shake off his
leaves, scatter his fruits; nevertheless leave the stump of his roots
with a band of iron and brass." The interpretation of that part of the
vision is set down in the 26th verse; "Thy kingdom shall be sure unto
thee, after that thou hast known that the heavens bear rule." I hear men
say, Hew down the tree, cut off his branches, shake off his leaves,
scatter his fruits; ye shall be quit of all that; but the stump must be
left banded with iron. (If it were till they knew God, it were
something, but there is no appearance of that.) Consider, O man, who
saith that. "No man, but the watcher, and the holy One, even He that
made Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom sure to him." If God had made this estate
sure to them, it would and should stand; and if God would bind down the
stump of it with iron bands, we would never fear the growth of it, nor
the fruit of it; but seeing they are only bands to be laid on by men,
albeit the tree were hewed down, it would grow again in all the branches
of it, with all the leaves of its dignity, and we should taste of the
bitter fruit of it: ye that are covenanters, be not deceived, if ye
leave so much as a hillock of this mountain in despite of your hearts it
shall grow to a high mountain, which shall fill both kirk and
commonwealth. If the kirk would be quit of the troubles of it, and if ye
would have this work of reformation going up, this mountain must be made
a plain altogether, otherwise the Spirit of God saith, Ye shall never
prosper.

The second thing in this is a work finished; "He shall bring forth the
head-stone thereof." When a head-stone is put on a house, the house is
finished: ye who are reverend fathers in the kirk, who have seen the
work of our first reformation, ye saw it going up, and brought to such a
perfection, that the cope-stone was put on; purity of doctrine, and
administration of sacraments, and sweetness of government, whereby the
kirk was ruled; but woe's us all, we see with you now the roof taken
off, the glorious work pulled down, and lying desolate. Now, it hath
pleased God to turn again, and offer a re-edifying of this work, as He
did here to the people of this temple: seeing therefore the Lord hath
stirred up our spirits, to crave a re-edifying of Christ's kirk, let us
never take our hands from it, till Christ have put the cope-stone on it.

I hear some say, There is more ado ere that be done; ye sing the triumph
before the victory; ye will not see it go up at leisure. Ye are
deceived; we sing not the triumph before the victory; some of us are
afraid that it go not up so suddenly. I must say to you, if it be God's
work, (as it is indeed) all the powers of the world shall never be able
to hinder the putting on of the cope-stone. Ay, but say ye, It will be
hindered; ere ye get the work forward, ye will find the dint of the fire
and sword. Let it be so, if God will have it so, that will not impede
the work: if our blood be spilt in this cause, the cope-stone shall be
put on with our blood; for the kirk of God hath never prospered better
nor by the blood of saints. Fear not, beloved, this work, whether it be
done peaceably or with persecution, the cope-stone shall be put on it.
Ye know in the beginning of the reformation, there was small likelihood
that the work should go up, and be finished, because of the great power
that was against it; yet the Lord brought it forward against all
impediments; and put the cope-stone on it: that same God lives yet, and
is as able to put the cope-stone on this work, as He was then, if ye
believe.

The third thing in this work is a work praised; "He shall bring forth
the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, grace, grace unto it."
All ye that build and behold the work, will love the work, and will all
wish it well. He alludes by appearance, who, when the foundation of a
common work is laid, rejoices, and when it is finished, rejoices. Ye may
see this clear in Ezra iii. 11: at the laying of the foundation of this
temple, the people shouted with a great shout: if they did that at the
laying of the foundation, much more shall they do it at the bringing
forth of the head-stone thereof; as is said here, the words they cry,
grace, grace. The phrase comprehends under it these three things:

1. A wish of the people of God, whereby they wish prosperity to the
work. Ye may see it was a common wish. "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, As
ye shall use this speech in the land of Judah, and cities thereof, when
I shall bring again their captivity: the Lord bless thee, O habitation
of justice, and mountain of holiness."

2. It comprehends under it a thanksgiving; the workers give all praise
to the work. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple, they
set the priests with their trumpets, and the Levites with their cymbals,
to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David: "They sang by course,
praising God, and giving thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, and
His mercy endureth forever."

3. The third thing it comprehends under it, is a faithful acknowledgment
that the work is built and finished, by no power and strength of men,
but by the grace of God. Look the verse preceding the text, and ye will
find it thus, "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the
Lord of hosts:" ye may easily apply this. Our work that God is bringing
up, and will finish, should be a praised work, our wishes should be to
it: "The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of
holiness." Our song of thanksgiving should be in our mouths, "God is
good, and His mercy endureth forever."--Albeit it go up, let us not
ascribe any thing to ourselves, but let us ascribe all to the grace of
God; and this will stop all the mouths of disdainers, who say, "Who are
ye, who think to finish such a work?" We answer, "It will be finished,
not by might, nor by strength of man, but by the Spirit of the Lord of
hosts."

There are three sorts looking to this work, and to the going up of it:
1. Evil-willers. 2. Well-wishers. 3. Neutrals. 1. The evil-willers are
Edom; and he was Jacob's brother; yet in Psalm cxxxvii. he cries, "raze,
raze this work to the foundation." There is a number that is crying,
raze, raze this work to the foundation. 2. There is a second sort that
are well-wishers, crying, grace, grace be unto it. In those former
years, the shout of raze, raze, hath been louder than grace, grace; but
now, God be praised, the shout of grace, grace, is louder than raze,
raze. 3. There is a third sort gazing upon this work, who dare not cry,
raze, raze, because they are borne down with grace, grace; they dare not
cry grace, grace, for fear of authority. What shall I say to these
neutrals? They are so incapable of admonition, that it will be a
spending of time to crave their concurrence to the work. To whom shall I
speak then? My text is an apostrophe, if I may use one; that which I
shall use first is God's own words from Isaiah, "Hear, O heavens,
hearken, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought
up children, and they have rebelled against Me."

I will next turn me to strangers and foreigners. All ye of reformed
kirks (What! have I said strangers? These men who are brought up in the
kirk, are strangers from the womb; but) ye are joined with us in a
corporation; come therefore with your fellow-feeling, let us hear your
shouts and cries of, grace, grace, be unto the Kirk of Scotland; and let
your wishes condemn these ungrateful neutrals, who profess themselves
children of this kirk, and yet will not rejoice with us for the good of
our mother.

Now, ye have heard this text in all these six steps. 1. A mountain
seen. 2. A mountain reproved and disdained. 3. A mountain to be removed.
4. A growing work. 5. To be finished. 6. With great applause of all
well-willers, wishing grace unto the work. And seeing I have ado with
this great mountain; both with mountains that impede this work, and all
ranks of persons, removers of the work, I will direct my speech to these
with the apostrophe in the text.

And first, To the mountains lying in the way of this reformation: I rank
them in two sorts, viz., prelates, and upholders of prelates. O
prelates, if I had hope to come speed with you, I would exhort you in
the name of Christ, to lay down your worldly dignity, and help us to
exalt the kirk of Christ: but I fear ye have hardened yourselves so
against the truth, that nothing will prevail with you, except ye keep
your worldly monarchy; yet ye shall be forced to take up my apostrophe,
"O mountains of Gilboa, on whom the anointed of the Lord is fallen,
neither come dew nor rain upon you." Ye are these mountains, upon whom
Christ and His Anointed have been slain; the dew and rain of God's grace
are not on you: ye may well receive fatness from beneath, to make you
great in this world; but from above, ye are not bedewed with the grace
of God, without which, whatever your bodies be, ye have clean souls.
Under this curse I leave you, and turn to you, O great mountains; great
men, who are putting your shoulders to hold up this mountain of prelacy;
I beseech you, if ye have any love to Christ, to take your shoulders,
and help from this pestiferous mountain the wreck of Christ's kirk. And
if exhortance will not prevail with you, I charge you in the name of the
great God, and His Son Jesus Christ, to whom one day ye must give your
account, that ye in nowise underprop this mountain; the which if ye
obey, I am sure the Lord will bless you, and your posterity; but if ye
will not, though ye were never so high a mountain in this kingdom, ye
shall become a plain.

In particular, I speak to all ranks of persons. O noblemen, who are the
high mountains of this kingdom, bow your tops, and look on the kirk of
Christ, lying in the vallies, sighing, groaning, swooning and looking
towards you with pitiful looks: if the Sun of Righteousness hath shined
on you, let her have a shadow, as ye would have God to be a shadow to
you in the day of your distress.

Barons and gentlemen, who are as the pleasant hills coming from the
mountains (I speak to you for the relation that is betwixt you and the
mountains, for by your descent ye are hewn out of the mountains) my
heart is glad to see you lift your tops, as the palms of your hands
reached to the mountains, that they and ye may be as a shelter for the
kirk of Christ. I pray you separate not your hands from theirs, till our
work be brought forth with shouting.

Burrows (Burghs), who are as the vallies God hath blessed with the
fatness of the earth, and the merchandise of the sea; the mountains and
hills are looking to you, and ye to them: join yourselves in an
inseparable union, and compass the vineyard of Christ; be to her a wall
of defence, lest the wild beasts of the wood waste it, and the wild
beasts of the forest devour it.

Ministers, and my faithful brethren in Christ, whose feet are beautiful
upon the mountains, say unto Zion, "Behold thy God reigneth." I tell
you, within these two years, an honest man's feet were not beautiful
upon the streets of Edinburgh. We might have gone home to our houses
again, and shaken the dust off our feet for a conviction against this
unthankful generation; but now (God be praised) they are beautiful, and
we are comely in their eyes, not for any thing in us, for we lay all
down at the feet of Christ; but because we are gone up upon mount Zion,
and as the Lord's messengers, have cried, "Behold thy God reigneth." I
pray you, if ye have any love to the kirk of Christ, withdraw both your
tongues and pens from this mountain, and apply them against it; apply
your wits, engines, spirits, and all your strength to beat down this
mountain; yea, tread upon it, and use the sharp threshing instruments
which God hath put into your hands, and thresh upon that mountain, till
it be beaten small as the chaff.

Shall I pass you that are commons? Truly my delight hath not been so
great upon this mountain, as to make me overlook you. My good people,
beloved in Christ, have ye nothing to contribute for this work? Have ye
not so much power as the mountains and hills have? Or, have ye not such
substance as the vallies? Yet something ye have, give it, and it will be
acceptable, something against the mountain, and something for the work.
If ye have no more against the mountain, let me have your tears,
prayers, and strong cries; I am sure there is as great value in them, as
in the rams' horns that blew down Jericho: send up your prayers, and cry
with the Psalmist, "Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down, touch the
mountains, and they shall smoke; cast forth lightning, and scatter them;
shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them; send thine hand from above,
and deliver me out of the great waters, from the hand of strange
children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, their right hand is a right hand
of falsehood." As ye have your tears and prayers against this mountain,
lend me also what ye have for the going up of this work: if ye have no
more, let us have your shouts and hearty crying, "grace, grace be unto
it." Time will not suffer me to speak any more, yet time shall never
bereave you or me of this. Let us all resolve so long as our life is in,
even to the last gasp, as God will help us, that this shall be our last
cry, Grace, grace be unto this work of reformation in the kirk of
Scotland.

To this grace I recommend you, and close with that wish of the Apostles
in the New Testament. _The grace of God be with you all._ Amen.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

[Illustration]




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:


_For Reformation and Defence of Religion, the Honour and Happiness of
the King, and the Peace and Safety of the Three Kingdoms of Scotland,
England, and Ireland; agreed upon by Commissioners from the Parliament
and Assembly of Divines in England, with Commissioners of the Convention
of Estates, and General Assembly in Scotland; approved by the General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and by both Houses of Parliament and
Assembly of Divines in England, and taken and subscribed by them_, Anno
1643; _and thereafter, by the said authority, taken and subscribed by
all Ranks in Scotland and England the same year; and ratified by the Act
of Parliament of Scotland_, Anno 1644: _And again renewed in Scotland,
with an Acknowledgment of Sins, and Engagement to Duties, by all Ranks_,
Anno 1648, _and by Parliament_ 1649; _and taken and subscribed by_ King
Charles II. at Spey, June 23, 1650; and at Scoon, January 1, 1651.

We Noblemen, Barons, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, Burgesses, Ministers
of the Gospel, and Commons of all sorts in the kingdoms of Scotland,
England, and Ireland, by the providence of GOD, living under one King,
and being of one reformed religion, having before our eyes the glory of
God, and the advancement of the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ, the honour and happiness of the King's Majesty and his
posterity, and the true publick liberty, safety, and peace of the
kingdoms, wherein every one's private condition is included: And calling
to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conspiracies, attempts, and
practices of the enemies of GOD, against the true religion and
professors thereof in all places, especially in these three kingdoms,
ever since the reformation of religion; and how much their rage, power,
and presumption are of late, and at this time, increased and exercised,
whereof the deplorable state of the church and kingdom of Ireland, the
distressed estate of the church and kingdom of England, and the
dangerous estate of the church and kingdom of Scotland, are present and
public testimonies; we have now at last, (after other means of
supplication, remonstrance, protestation, and sufferings,) for the
preservation of ourselves and our religion from utter ruin and
destruction, according to the commendable practice of these kingdoms in
former times, and the example of GOD'S people in other nations, after
mature deliberation, resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and
solemn League and Covenant, wherein we all subscribe, and each one of us
for himself, with our hands lifted up to the most High GOD, do swear,

I. That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of
GOD, endeavour, in our several places and callings, the preservation of
the reformed religion in the Church of Scotland, in doctrine, worship,
discipline, and government against our common enemies; the reformation
of religion in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine,
worship, discipline, and government, according to the Word of GOD, and
the example of the best reformed Churches: and shall endeavour to bring
the Churches of God in the three kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and
uniformity in religion, confession of faith, form of church-government,
directory for worship and catechising; that we, and our posterity after
us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and the Lord may delight
to dwell in the midst of us.

II. That we shall, in like manner, without respect of persons endeavour
the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, (that is, church-government by
Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellors, and Commissaries, Deans, Deans
and Chapters, Archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical Officers
depending on hierarchy,) superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and
whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power
of godliness, lest we partake in other men's sins, and thereby be in
danger to receive of their plagues; and that the Lord may be one, and
His name one, in the three Kingdoms.

III. We shall, with the same sincerity, reality, and constancy, in our
several vocations, endeavour, with our estates and lives, mutually to
preserve the rights and privileges of the Parliaments, and the liberties
of the kingdoms; and to preserve and defend the King's Majesty's person
and authority, in the preservation and defence of the true religion, and
liberties of the kingdoms; that the world may bear witness with our
consciences of our loyalty, and that we have no thoughts or intentions
to diminish his Majesty's just power and greatness.

IV. We shall also, with all faithfulness, endeavour the discovery of all
such as have been or shall be incendiaries, malignants, or evil
instruments, by hindering the reformation of religion, dividing the king
from his people, or one of the kingdoms from another, or making any
faction or parties amongst the people, contrary to this League and
Covenant; that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign
punishment, as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve, or
the supreme judicatories of both kingdoms respectively, or others having
power from them for that effect, shall judge convenient.

V. And whereas the happiness of a blessed peace between these kingdoms,
denied in former times to our progenitors, is, by the good providence
of GOD, granted unto us, and hath been lately concluded and settled by
both Parliaments; we shall each one of us, according to our place and
interest, endeavour that they may remain conjoined in a firm peace and
union to all posterity; and that justice may be done upon the wilful
opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the precedent article.

VI. We shall also, according to our places and callings, in this common
cause of religion, liberty, and peace of the kingdoms, assist and defend
all those that enter into this League and Covenant, in the maintaining
and pursuing thereof; and shall not suffer ourselves, directly or
indirectly, by whatsoever combination, persuasion, or terror, to be
divided and withdrawn from this blessed union and conjunction, whether
to make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a
detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much
concerneth the glory of GOD, the good of the kingdom, and honour of the
King; but shall, all the days of our lives, zealously and constantly
continue therein against all opposition, and promote the same, according
to our power, against all lets and impediments whatsoever; and, what we
are not able ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal and make
known, that it may be timely prevented or removed: All which we shall do
as in the sight of God.

And, because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations
against GOD, and His Son JESUS CHRIST, as is too manifest by our present
distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof; we profess and declare,
before GOD and the world, our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own
sins, and for the sins of these kingdoms; especially, that we have not
as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel; that we have
not laboured for the purity and power thereof; and that we have not
endeavoured to receive CHRIST in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of Him
in our lives; which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so
much abounding amongst us: and our true and unfeigned purpose, desire,
and endeavour for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge,
both in public and in private, in all duties we owe to GOD and man, to
amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a
real reformation; that the Lord may turn away His wrath and heavy
indignation, and establish these churches and kingdoms in truth and
peace. And this Covenant we make in the presence of ALMIGHTY GOD, the
Searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as we
shall answer at that great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed; most humbly beseeching the LORD to strengthen us by His HOLY
SPIRIT for this end, and to bless our desires and proceedings with such
success, as may be deliverance and safety to His people, and
encouragement to other Christian churches, groaning under, or in danger
of, the yoke of antichristian tyranny, to join in the same or like
association and covenant, to the glory of GOD, the enlargement of the
kingdom of JESUS CHRIST, and the peace and tranquility of Christian
kingdoms and commonwealths.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.

_At Edinburgh, August 17th, 1643, Sess._ 14.


The Assembly having recommended unto a committee, appointed by them to
join with the committee of the honourable Convention of Estates, and the
commissioners of the Honourable Houses of the Parliament of England, for
bringing the kingdoms to a more near conjunction and union, received
from the aforesaid committees the covenant after-mentioned, as the
result of their consultations: and having taken the same, as a matter of
so public concernment and of so deep importance doth require, unto their
gravest consideration, did with all their hearts, and with the
beginnings of the feelings of that joy, which they did find in so great
measure upon the renovation of the National Covenant of this kirk and
kingdom, all with one voice approve and embrace the same, as the most
powerful mean, by the blessing of GOD, for the settling and preserving
the true protestant religion, with perfect peace in his majesty's
dominions, and propagating the same to other nations, and for
establishing his majesty's throne to all ages and generations. And
therefore, with their best affections, recommended the same to the Hon.
Convention of Estates, that being examined and approved by them, it may
be sent with all diligence to the kingdom of England, that being
received and approven there, the same may be, with public humiliation,
and all religious and answerable solemnity, sworn and subscribed by all
true professors of the reformed religion, and all his majesty's good
subjects in both kingdoms.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

EXHORTATION AT WESTMINSTER.

_BY PHILIP NYE._[6]


A great and solemn work (Honourable and Reverend) this day is put into
our hands; let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it. We deal with
God as well as with men, and with God in His greatness and excellency,
for by Him we swear; and at the same time we have to do with God and His
goodness, Who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arm of
assistance. The goodness of God procuring succour and help to a sinful
and afflicted people (such are we) ought to be matter of fear and
trembling, even to all that hear of it. We are to exalt and acknowledge
Him this day, Who is fearful in praises, swear by that name which is
holy and reverend, enter into a covenant and league that is never to be
forgotten by us nor our posterity, and the fruit I hope of it shall be
so great, as both we and they shall have cause to remember it with joy;
and such an oath as for matter, persons, and other circumstances, the
like hath not been in any age or oath we read of in sacred or human
history, yet sufficiently warranted in both.

The parties engaging in this league, are three kingdoms, famous for the
knowledge and acknowledgment of Christ above all the kingdoms in the
world; to swear before such a presence should mould the spirit of man
into a great deal of reverence. What then to be engaged, to be
incorporated, and that by sacred oath, with such an high and honourable
fraternity? An oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemn, by how
much greater the persons are that swear each to other; so in this
business, where kingdoms swear mutually.

And as the solemnity of an oath is to be measured by the persons
swearing, so by the matter also that is to be sworn to. God would not
swear to the covenant of Works, He intended not to honour it so much, it
was not to continue, it was not worthy of an oath of His; but to the
Covenant of Grace, which is the Gospel, He swears, and repents not of
it. God swears for the salvation of men, and of kingdoms: and if
kingdoms swear, what subject of an oath becometh them better than the
preservation and salvation of kingdoms, by establishing the kingdom of a
Saviour amongst them, even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who is a
Mediator and Saviour for nations as well as particular persons?

The end also is great and honourable, as either of the former. "Two are
better than one," saith He, Who knoweth what is best, and from Whom
alone every thing hath the goodness it hath. Association is of divine
offspring; not only the being of creatures, but the putting of them
together. The cluster as well as the grape is the work of God. Consort
and harmony amongst men, especially amongst saints, is very pleasing
unto the Lord. If, when but two or three agree and assent upon any thing
on earth, it shall be confirmed in heaven, and for this, because they
gather together in His name; much more when two or three kingdoms shall
meet, and consent together in His name, and for His name, that God "may
be one, and His name one amongst them," and His presence amidst them.
That prayer of Christ seemeth to proceed from a feeling sense of His own
blessedness, "Father, that they may be one, as Thou in Me." Unity among
His churches and children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto
Him: for out of the more deep sense desires are fetcht from within us,
the more pleasing will be the answer of them unto us. Churches and
kingdoms are near to God, His patience towards them, His compassions
over them more than particular persons sheweth it plainly. But kingdoms
willingly engaging themselves for His kingdom, His Christ, His saints,
the purity of religion, His worship and government, in all particulars,
and in all humility sitting down at His feet to receive the law, and the
rule from His mouth: what a price doth He set upon such? Especially,
when (as we this day) sensible of our infirmity, and of an unfaithful
heart not steady with our God, but apt to start from the cause, if we
feel the knife or the fire; who bind ourselves with cords, as a
sacrifice to the horns of the altar; we invocate the name of the great
God, that His vows, yea, His curse may be upon us, if we do not this;
yea, though we suffer for so doing, that is, if we endeavour not so far
as the Lord shall assist us by His grace, to advance the kingdom of the
Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth, and make Jerusalem once more the
praise of the whole world, notwithstanding all the contradictions of
men.

What is this but the contents and matter of our oath? What do we
covenant? What do we vow? Is it not the preservation of religion, where
it is reformed, and the reformation of religion, where it needs? Is it
not the reformation of three kingdoms, and a reformation universal, in
doctrine, discipline, and worship, in whatsoever the word shall discover
unto us? To practise is a fruit of love; to reform, a fruit of zeal; but
so to reform, will be a token of great prudence and circumspection in
each of these churches: and all this to be done according to God's
word, the best rule, and according to the best reformed churches, and
best interpreters of this rule. If England hath obtained to any greater
perfection in so handling the word of righteousness, and truths that are
according to godliness, as to make men more godly, more righteous: and,
if in the churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of
order and discipline, by which their assemblies are more orderly: or, if
to any other church or person, it hath been given better to have learned
Christ in any of His ways, than any of us, we shall humbly bow, and kiss
their lips that can speak right words unto us, in this matter, and help
us into the nearest uniformity with the word and mind of Christ in this
great work of Reformation.

Honourable and reverend brethren, there cannot be a more direct and
effectual way to exhort and persuade the wise, and men of sad and
serious spirits (and such are you to whom I am commanded to speak this
day) than to let into their understandings the weight, and worth, and
great importance of the work, they are persuaded unto. This oath is
such, and, in the matter and consequence of it, of such concernment, as
I can truly say, It is worthy of us; yea, of all these kingdoms; yea, of
all the kingdoms of the world; for it is swearing fealty and allegiance
unto Christ, the King of kings; and giving up of all these kingdoms
which are in His inheritance, to be subdued more to His throne, and
ruled more by His sceptre, upon whose shoulders the government is laid,
and "of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no
end." Yea, we find this very thing in the utmost accomplishment of it,
to have been the oath of the greatest angel that ever was, who setting
his feet upon two of God's kingdoms, the one upon the sea, the other
upon the earth, lifting up his hand to heaven, as you are to do this
day, and so swearing. The effect of that oath you shall find to be this,
"That the kingdoms of the world become the kingdoms of the Lord and His
Christ, and He shall reign forever." His oath was for the full and final
accomplishment, this of yours for a gradual, yet a great performance
towards it.

That which the apostles and primitive times did so much and so long pray
for, tho' never long with much quietness enjoyed; that which our fathers
in these latter times have fasted, prayed and mourned after, yet
attained not; even the cause which many dear saints now with God, have
furthered by extremest sufferings, poverty, imprisonment, banishment,
death, even ever since the first dawning of reformation: that and the
very same is the very cause and work that we are come now, through the
mercy of Jesus Christ, not only to pray for, but swear to. And surely it
can be no other, but the result and answer of such prayers and tears, of
such sincerity and sufferings, that three kingdoms should be thus born,
or rather new-born in a day; that these kingdoms should be wrought about
to so great an engagement, than which nothing is higher. For this end
kings reign, kingdoms stand, and states are upheld.

It is a special grace and favour of God unto you, brethren, (Reverend
and Honourable) to vouchsafe you the opportunity, and to put into your
hearts, as this day, to engage your lives and estates in matters so much
concerning Him and His glory. And if you should do no more, but lay a
foundation stone in this great work, and by so doing engage posterity
after you to finish it, it were honour enough: but there may yet further
use be made of you, who now are to take this oath. You are designed as
chief master-builders, and choice instruments for the effecting of this
settled peace and reformation; which, if the Lord shall please to finish
in your hands, a greater happiness on earth, nor a greater means to
augment your glory and crown in heaven, you are not capable of. And
this, let me further add for your encouragement, of what extensive good,
and fruit in the success of it, this very oath may prove to be, we know
not. God hath set His covenant like the heavens, not only for duration,
but like also for extension. The heavens move and roll about, and so
communicate their light, and heat, and virtue, to all places and parts
of the earth; so doth the covenant of God; so may this gift be given to
other covenants, that are framed to this pattern. How much this solemn
league and oath may provoke other reformed churches to a further
reformation of themselves; what light and heat it may communicate abroad
to other parts of the world, it is only in Him to define, to whom is
given the utmost ends of the earth for His inheritance, and worketh by
His exceeding great power great things out of small beginnings.

But however, this I am sure of, it is a way in all probability most
likely to enable us to preserve and defend our religion against our
common enemies; and possibly a more sure foundation this day will be
laid for ruining popery and prelacy, the chief of them, than yet hath
been led unto in any age. For popery hath been a religion ever dexterous
in fencing and mounting itself by association and joint strength. All
sorts of professors amongst them are cast into fraternities and
brotherhoods; and these orders carefully united by vow one with another,
and under some more general notion of common dependence. Such states
also and kingdoms, as they have thus made theirs, they endeavour to
improve and secure by strict combinations and leagues each to other;
witness of late years that _la sainte ligue_, the holy league. It will
not be unworthy your consideration, whether, seeing the preservation of
popery hath been by leagues and covenant, God may not make a league or
covenant to be the destruction of it. Nay, the very rise of popery
seemeth to be after such a manner, by kings, that is kingdoms assenting
and agreeing perhaps by some joint covenant (the text saith, "with one
mind," why not then with one mouth) to give their power and strength
unto the beast, and make war against the Lamb. For you read, "the Lamb
shall overcome the beast," and possibly with the same weapons. He is the
Lord of lords, and King of kings, He can unite kings and kingdoms, and
give them one mind also to destroy the whore, and be her utter ruin. And
may not this day's work be a happy beginning of such a blessed
expedition?

Prelacy, another common enemy, that we covenant and swear against. What
hath been, or what hath the strength of it been, but a subtile
combination of clergymen, formed into a policy or body of their own
invention, framing themselves into subordination and dependence one upon
another; so that the interest of each is improved by all, and a great
power by this means acquired to themselves, as by sad experience we have
lately found. The joints and members of this body, you know, were knit
together by the sacred engagement of an oath, the _Oath of Canonical
Obedience_, as they called it. You remember also, with what cunning
industry they endeavoured lately, to make this oath and covenant more
sure for themselves and their posterity, and intended a more public,
solemn and universal engagement; than since Popery, this cause of
theirs, was ever maintained or supported by: and questionless, Ireland
and Scotland also must at last have been brought into this holy league
with England. But blessed be the Lord, and blessed be His good hand, the
parliament that, from the indignation of their spirits against so horrid
a yoke, have dashed out the very brains of this project, and are now
this day present before the Lord, to take and give possession of this
blessed ordinance, even an oath and covenant, as solemn, and of as large
extent, as they intended theirs; uniting these three kingdoms into such
a league and happy combination, as will doubtless preserve us and our
reformation against them, though their iniquity, in the mysteries of it,
should still be working amongst us. Come, therefore (I speak in the
words of the prophet) "let us join ourselves to the Lord," and one to
another, and each to all, "in a perpetual covenant that shall not be
forgotten."

We are now entering upon a work of the greatest moment and concernment
to us, and to our posterity after us, that ever was undertaken by any of
us, or any of our forefathers before us, or neighbouring nations about
us; if the Lord shall bless this our beginning, it will be a happy day,
and we shall be a happy people. An oath is a duty of the first
commandment, and therefore of the highest and noblest order and rank of
duties, therefore must come forth attended with choicest graces,
especially with these two, humility and fear.

Fear, not only of God, which ought to be in an eminent measure. Jacob
sware by the fear of his father Isaac, as if he coveted to inherit his
father's grace, as well as his father's God: but also, fear of an oath,
it being a dreadful duty, and hath this peculiar, it is established by
the oath of God, "I have sworn, that unto Me every tongue shall swear."
It is made the very character of a saint, he fears an oath.

Humility is another grace requisite. Set your hearts before God in an
humble obedient frame. "Thou shall fear the Lord thy God, and serve Him,
and swear by His name." The apostle Paul was sensible of this
engagement, even in the very act of this duty. "I call God to witness,
whom I serve in my spirit:" although it be a work of the lips, yet the
heart, and the whole man must be interested, if we expect this worship
to be acceptable. "Accept the free-will offering of my mouth, and teach
me Thy judgments."

Also it must be done in the greatest simplicity and plainness of spirit,
in respect of those with whom we covenant; we call God as a witness
betwixt us, who searcheth the heart: "With Him is wisdom and strength,
the deceived and deceiver are His." He hath wisdom to discover, and
strength to punish, if our hearts be not upright to our brethren in
this matter. Let us be contented with this, that the words of our
covenant be bands; it may not be, so much as in the desire of our
hearts, that they should become snares, no not to the weakest and
simplest person that joineth with us. On the whole work make your
address unto God, as Jacob did to his father Isaac, and let there be the
like fear and jealousy over your spirits. "My father peradventure will
feel me, and I shall seem to Him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a
curse upon me, and not a blessing."

I take liberty with more earnestness to press this care upon you,
because I have observed oaths and covenants have been undertaken by us
formerly, and by the command of authority, the fruit whereof, though
great, yet answered not our expectation; the Lord surely hath been
displeased with the slightness of our hearts in the work. I beseech you
be more watchful, and stir up your hearts with more industry this day
than ever before. As it is the last oath you are likely to take in this
kind, so it is our last refuge, _Tabula post naufragium_. If this help
us not, we are likely to remain to our dying day an unhappy people; but
if otherwise, "You will indeed swear with all your hearts, and seek the
Lord with your whole desire, God will be found, and give you rest round
about."

And having sworn, and entered into this solemn engagement to God and
man, make conscience to do accordingly; otherwise it is better thou
shouldst not vow. As is said of fasting, "It is not the bowing down of
the head for a day;" so of this solemn swearing, It is not the lifting
up of the hand for a day, but an honest and faithful endeavouring after
the contents of this covenant, all our days. A truce-breaker is reckoned
up amongst the vilest of Christians, so a covenant-breaker is listed
amongst the worst of heathens, but he that sweareth and changeth not,
tho' he swear to his hurt, that is, he that will keep his covenant and
oath, tho' the contents of it prove not for him, nay possibly against
him, yet he will keep it for his oath's sake, such an one "shall have
his habitation with the most High, and dwell in His tabernacle." And as
for you, reverend brethren, that are ministers of the gospel, there is
yet another obligation will lie upon you: let us look to ourselves, and
make provision to walk answerable to this our covenant, for the gospel's
sake: it will reflect a great aspersion upon the truth of the gospel, if
we should be false or inconstant in any word or purpose, tho' in a
matter of less consequence, as you can easily collect from that apology
of Paul. How much more in such a case as this is, if we should be found
to purpose, nay more, to vow, and covenant, and swear, and all this
according unto the flesh, and with us there should be, notwithstanding
all these obligations, yea, yea, and nay, nay.

That we may all, who take the covenant this day, be constant,
immoveable, and abound in this work of the Lord, that we may not start
aside, or give back, or go on uncomfortably, there is a twofold grace or
qualification to be laboured after.

1. We must get courage, spirits that are bold and resolute. It is said
in Haggai, that "the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Zerubbabel, governor
of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the high priest, and the spirit of
all the remnant of the people, and they came and did work in the house
of the Lord." The work of God's house, reformation work especially, is a
stirring work: read history, you find not any where, reformation made in
any age, either in doctrine or discipline, without great stir and
opposition. This was foretold by the same prophet, the promise is, "He
will fill His house with glory." But what goeth before. "Yet once it is
a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the
sea, and the dry land," that is, all nations, as in the words following.
This place is applied to the removing Jewish rites, the moveables of
God's house. The like you find in the apostles' times, the truth being
preached, some believed, others did not. Here beginneth the stir. Those
that believed not, "took unto themselves certain lewd fellows of the
baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city in an uproar;"
and when they had done so, complained of the brethren to the rulers, as
men that turn the world upside down. In such a work therefore, men had
need be of stout, resolute and composed spirits, that we may be able to
go on in the main, and stir in the midst of such stirs, and not be
amazed at any such doings. It may possibly happen, that even amongst
yourselves, there will be outcries: Sir, you will undo all, saith one;
You will put all into confusion, saith another; If you take this course,
saith a third, we can expect nothing but blood. But a wise statesman,
like an experienced seaman, knoweth the compass of his vessel, and tho'
it heave, toss, and the passengers cry out about him, yet in the midst
of all, he is himself, turneth not aside from his work, but steereth on
his course. I beseech you, let it be seriously considered, if you mean
to do any such work in the house of God, as this is; if you mean to
pluck up what many years ago was planted, or to build up what so long
ago was pulled down, and to go thro' with this work and not be
discouraged, you must beg of the Lord this excellent spirit, this
resolute, stirring spirit, otherwise you will be outspirited, and both
you and your cause slighted and dishonoured.

2. On the other hand, we must labour for humility, prudence, gentleness,
meekness. A man may be very zealous and resolute, and yet very meek and
merciful: Jesus Christ was a Lion, and yet a Lamb also; in one place, He
telleth them He cometh to send "fire on the earth:" and, in another
place, rebuketh His disciples "for their fiery spirits." There was the
like composition in Moses, and in Paul; and it is of great use,
especially in this work of reformation. I have not observed any disputes
carried on with more bitterness in men's writings, and with a more
unsanctified heat of spirit, yea, and by godly men too, than in
controversies about discipline, church government, ceremonies, and the
like. Surely, to argue about government with such ungoverned passions,
to argue for reformation with a spirit so unreformed, is very uncomely.
Let us be zealous, as Christ was, to cast out all, to extirpate and root
out every plant His heavenly Father hath not planted; and yet let us do
it in an orderly way, and with the Spirit of Christ, whose servants we
are. "The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all men,
apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose." We
solemnly engage this day our utmost endeavours for reformation; let us
remember this, that too much heat, as well as too much coldness, may
harden men in their ways, and hinder reformation.

Brethren, let us come to this blessed work with such a frame of heart,
with such a mind, for the present, with such resolutions for the time to
come; let us not be wanting to the opportunity God hath put into our
hands this day; and then I can promise you, as the prophet, "Consider
this day and upwards, even from this day, that the foundation of the
Lord's work is laid, consider it, from this day will I bless you saith
the Lord." Nay, we have received, as it were, the first fruits of this
promise; for, as it is said of some men's good "works, they are manifest
before-hand." Even so may be said of the good work of this day, it is
manifested before-hand. God hath, as it were before-hand, testified His
acceptance; while we were thinking and purposing this free-will
offering, He was protecting and defending our army, causing our enemies,
the enemies of this work, to flee before us, and gave us a victory, not
to be despised. Surely this oath and covenant shall be Judah's joy, the
joy and comfort of this whole kingdom, yea, of all the three kingdoms.

Jesus Christ, King of the saints, govern us by His Spirit, strengthen us
by His power, undertake for us according as He hath sworn, even the
"oath which He sware to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us,
that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve Him
without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of
our life." Grant unto us also, that when this life is finished, and we
gathered to our fathers, there may be a generation out of our loins to
stand up in this cause, that His great and reverend name may be exalted
from one generation to another, until He Himself shall come, and perfect
all His own wisdom: even so come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

ADDRESS AT WESTMINSTER.[7]

_BY ALEXANDER HENDERSON._


Although the time be far spent, yet am I bold (honourable, reverend, and
beloved in the Lord) to crave your patience a little. It were both sin
and shame to us in this so acceptable a time in this day, which the Lord
hath made, to be silent and to say nothing. If we should hold our peace,
we could neither be answerable to God, whose cause and work is in hand,
nor to this church and kingdom, unto which we have made so large
profession of duty, and owe much more; nor to our native kingdom, so
abundant in affection towards you; nor to our own hearts, which
exceedingly rejoice to see this day. We have greater reason than the
leprous men sitting in a time of great extremity at the gates of
Samaria, to say one to another, "We do not well, this day is a day of
good tidings, and we hold our peace." It is true, the Syrians are not
yet fled; but our hope is through God, that the work begun this day,
being sincerely performed, and faithfully pursued, shall put to flight,
not only the Syrians and Babylonians, but all other enemies of the
church of God, of the king's honour, and of our liberty and peace.

For it is acceptable to God, and well pleasing in His sight, when His
people come willingly in the day of His power (and how shall they not be
willing in the day of His power?) to enter into a religious covenant
with Him, and amongst themselves, whatsoever be the condition of the
people of God, whether in sorrow and humiliation before deliverance, or
in rejoicing and thanksgiving after deliverance. This is it which the
Lord waits for at their hands, which they have been used to perform, and
with which He hath been so well pleased, that it hath been the fountain
of many deliverances and blessings unto them. When a people begin to
forget God, He lifteth up His hand against them, and smiteth them: and
when His people, humbled before Him, lift up their hands, not only in
supplication, but in covenant before the most high God, He is pleased
(such is His mercy and wonderful compassion) first, to lift His hand
unto them, saying, "I am the Lord your God;" as we have it three times
in two verses of the 20th of Ezekiel: and next He stretcheth out His
hand against His enemies and theirs. It is the best work of faith, to
join in covenant with God, the best work of love and Christian
communion, to join in covenant with the people of God; the best work of
the best zeal, to join in covenant for reformation, against the enemies
of God and religion; the best work of true loyalty, to join in covenant
for the preservation of our king and superiors; and the best proof of
natural affection, (and to be without natural affection is one of the
great sins of the Gentiles) to join in covenant for defence of our
native country, liberties and laws: such as from these necessary ends do
withdraw, and are not willing to enter into covenant, have reason to
enter into their own hearts, and to look into their faith, love, zeal,
loyalty, and natural affection.

As it is acceptable to God, so have we for it the precedent and example
not only of the people of God of old, of the reformed churches of
Germany, and the low countries; but of our own noble and Christian
progenitors in the time of the danger of religion, which is expressed in
the covenant itself. The defect was, they went not on thoroughly to
enter into a solemn covenant, an happiness reserved for this time, which
had they done, the corruptions and calamities of these days might have
been prevented. And if the Lord shall be pleased to move, loose, and
enlarge the hearts of His people in his majesty's dominions to take this
covenant, not in simulation, nor in lukewarmness, as those that are
almost persuaded to be Christians, but as becometh the people of God, it
shall be the prevention of many evils and miseries, and a means of many
and rich blessings, spiritual and temporal, to ourselves, our little
ones, and the posterity that shall come after us, for many generations.

The near and neighbouring example of the church and kingdom of Scotland,
is in this case worthy of our best observation. When the prelates there
were grown by their rents, and lordly dignities, by their exorbitant
power over all sorts of his majesty's subjects, ministers and others, by
their places in parliament, council, college of justice, exchequer, and
high commission, to a monstrous dominion and greatness, and, like
giants, setting their one foot on the neck of the church, and the other
on the neck of the state, were become intolerably insolent. And when the
people of God, through their oppression in religion, liberties and laws,
and what was dearest unto them, were brought so low, that they choose
rather to die, than to live in such slavery, or to live in any other
place, rather than in their own native country: then did the Lord say,
"I have seen the affliction of My people, and I have heard their
groaning, and am come down to deliver them." The beginnings were small
and contemptible in the eyes of the presumptuous enemies, such as used
to be the beginnings of the greatest works of God; but were so seconded
and continually followed by the undeniable evidences of divine
providence, leading them forward from one step to another, that their
mountain became strong in the end. No tongue can tell what motions
filled the hearts, what tears were poured forth from the eyes, and what
cries came from the mouths of many thousands in that land, when they
found an unwonted flame warming their breasts, and perceived the power
of God, raising them from the dead, and creating for them a new world,
wherein shall dwell religion and righteousness. When they were destitute
both of monies and munition, which, next unto the spirit and arms of
men, are the sinews of war, the Lord brought them forth out of His hid
treasures, which was wonderful in their eyes, and matter of astonishment
to their hearts: when they were many times at a pause in their
deliberations, and brought to such perplexity, that they knew not what
to choose, or to do for prosecuting the work of God, only their eyes
were towards Him; not only the fears and furies, but the plots also and
policies of the adversaries opened the way unto them, their devices were
turned upon their own heads, and served for promoting of the work of
God. The purity of their intentions elevated above base and earthly
respects, and the constant peace of their hearts in the midst of many
dangers, did bear them out against the malicious accusations and
aspersions put upon their actions: all which were sensible impressions
of the good providence of God, and legible characters of His work; which
the church and kingdom of England, exercised at this time with greater
difficulty than theirs, have in part already found; so shall the
parallel be perfected to their greater comfort in the faithful pursuing
of the work unto the end.

Necessity, which hath in it a kind of sovereignty, and is a law above
all laws, and therefore is said to have no law, doth mightily press the
church and kingdom of Scotland at this time. It is no small comfort unto
them, that they have not been idle, and at ease, but have used all good
and lawful means of supplications, declarations and remonstrances to his
majesty, for quenching the combustion in this kingdom: and after all
these, that they sent commissioners to his majesty, humbly to mediate
for a reconcilement and pacification. But the offer of their humble
service was rejected from no other reason, but that they had no warrant
nor capacity for such a mediation; and that the intermixture of the
government of the church of England, with the civil government of the
kingdom, was such a mystery as could not be understood by them. Although
it be true, which was at that time often replied, that the eighth demand
of the treaty, and the answer given thereunto, concerning the uniformity
of religion, was a sufficient ground of capacity; and the proceedings of
the houses of parliament against episcopal government, as a stumbling
block hindering reformation, and as a prejudice to the civil state, was
ground enough for their information. The commissioners having returned
from his majesty without success, and the miseries of Ireland, and the
distresses of England, and the dangers and pressures of the kingdom of
Scotland, growing to greater extremity; such as were intrusted with the
public affairs of the kingdom, were necessitate, according to the
practice of former times, his majesty having denied a parliament, to
call a convention of the estates, for considering of the present
affairs, and for providing the best remedies: which, immediately upon
their meeting, by the special providence of God, did receive information
of divers treacherous attempts of papists, in all the three kingdoms, as
if they had been called for that effect. And by the same providence,
commissioners were sent from both houses of parliament, to consider with
the estates of the kingdom of Scotland, of such articles and
propositions, as might make the conjunction betwixt the two nations more
beneficial and effectual for the securing of religion and liberty
against papists and prelates, with their adherents. Their consultations
with the commissioners of the General Assembly did in the end bring
forth a covenant, as the only means after all other had been essayed,
for the deliverance of England and Ireland out of the depths of
affliction, preservation of the church and kingdom of Scotland from the
extremity of misery, and the safety of our native king and his kingdoms,
from destruction and desolation. This is the manifold necessity which
nature, religion, loyalty and love hath laid upon them.

Nor is it unknown in this honourable, reverend and wise audience, what
errors and heresies in doctrine, what superstition and idolatry in
worship, what usurpation and tyranny in government, what cruelty against
the souls and bodies of the saints have been set on foot, exercised and
executed for many generations, and now of late by the Roman church: all
which we hope, through the blessing of God upon this work, shall be
brought to an end. Had the Pope at Rome the knowledge of what is doing
this day in England, and were this covenant written on the plaster of
the wall over against him, where he sitteth, Belshazzar-like in his
sacrilegious pomp, it would make his heart to tremble, his countenance
to change, his head and mitre to shake, his joints to loose, and all his
cardinals and prelates to be astonished.

When the reformed churches, which by their letters have been exciting us
to Christian communion and sympathy, in this time of the danger of
religion and distress of the godly, shall hear of this blessed
conjunction for uniformity in religion, according to the Word of God,
and the defence thereof, it shall quicken their hearts against the
heaviness of oppressing sorrows and fears; and be no other than a
beginning of a jubilee and joyful deliverance unto them, from the
antichristian yoke and tyranny.

Upon these and the like considerations, we are very confident that the
church and kingdom of Scotland will most cheerfully join in this
covenant; at the first motion whereof, their bowels were moved within
them. And to give testimony of this our confidence, we who are
Commissioners from the General Assembly, although we have no particular
and express commission for that end (not from want of willingness, but
of foresight) offer to join our hearts and hands unto it, being assured,
that the Lord in His own time will, against all opposition, even against
the gates of hell, crown it with a blessing from heaven. The Word of God
is for it, as you have been now resolved by the consent and testimony of
a reverend assembly of so many godly, learned and great divines. In your
own sense and experience, upon seeking God in private or public, as in
the evening of a well spent Sabbath or day of fast and humiliation, the
bent and inclinations of your hearts will be strongest to go through
with this work. It is a good testimony that our designs and ways are
agreeable to the will of God, if we affect them most when our hearts are
farthest from the world, and our temper is most spiritual and heavenly,
and least carnal and earthly. As the Word of God, so the prayers of the
people of God in all the reformed churches, are for us. That divine
providence also which hath maintained this cause, and supported His
servants in a marvellous manner unto this day, and which this time past
hath kept things in an equal balance and vicissitude of success, will,
we trust, from this day forth, through the weight of this covenant, cast
the balance, and make religion and righteousness to prevail, to the
glory of God, the honour of our king, the confusion of our common
enemies, and the comfort and safety of the people of God; which, may He
grant who is able to do above any thing that we can ask or think.




[Illustration: Fac-simile of old Title page of following Sermon.]

_The Heart's Engagement._

A

SERMON

PREACHED AT

St. _Margaret's Westminster_,

At the publick Entering into the

COVENANT,

BY

I. _Some of the Nobility, Knighthood and Gentry._
II. _Divers Colonels, Officers and Soldiers._
III. _Those of the_ Scotish _Nation about the City._
IV. _Many Reverend Divines here residing._

September 29th, Anno 1643.

By the Reverend Mr. Thomas Coleman, one of the Members of the
_Westminster_ Assembly of _Divines_.

Preached and published according to the several Orders of the
Honourable House of Commons.

Nehem. x. 28, 29. _The people ... entred into a curse, and into an
oath to walk in God's law,_ &c.

GLASGOW,
Printed for George Paton, Book-seller in _Linlithgow_. MDCCXLI.


THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND

COVENANT.

SERMON AT WESTMINSTER.

_BY THOMAS COLEMAN._

"For who is this, that engaged his heart to approach unto Me,
saith the Lord?"--_Jerem._ xxx. 21.


Two things in this clause cause some obscurity: _First_, The uncertainty
of the subject. _Second_, The ambiguity of one phrase.

1. The uncertainty of the subject, or person of whom the prophet speaks
here: whether of Christ, by way of prophecy, or of some particular
person, by way of story, or indefinitely of every one, by way of duty.

2. The ambiguity of that phrase, _engaged;_ which, according to the
variety of its signification, is or may be variously rendered. _He
adorned His heart; He applied His heart; He directed His heart; He
engaged His heart._

Hereupon the sense becomes various.

1. Who is he, _viz._ Christ, hath appointed his heart? Can there be
found a parallel to Christ in the world, that hath so given himself up
to God? made Him and His ways his meat and drink, yea more than his
ordinary food?

2. Who hath fitted and adorned his heart? Is there any that can adorn
and prepare himself to approach unto God, without God?

3. To omit others of like nature: it may be true, that it is chiefly
spoken of Christ: the titles in the beginning of the verse look this
way; his noble One, his Ruler; but seeing Christ is the head of the
body, and one with His body, it may secondarily, and by way of
communication, be also affirmed of His members; and to them we extend
it.

The clause therefore seems dependent, and as it is applied to man, hath
reference to that which is an act of God, and seems to be a reason
thereof. "I will cause him," saith God, "to draw nigh, and he then shall
approach; for who is this that hath engaged his heart?" The force of
which inference may look two ways.

1. Shewing the impossibility in man to begin the action: "I will cause
him to draw nigh; for who is this, that hath engaged his heart?" Where
is the man that can direct his heart, approach to Me of himself, by his
own power? Not any, not one: "Without Me you can do nothing."

2. Approving the endeavour to continue; I will cause him to draw near,
that he may approach, and stay with Me: he doeth his best, according to
his strength; "he engageth his heart," I will help on with the work;
"for who is this?" Oh this is an excellent one; there are not many so;
that any, that this is so, is beyond expectation, worthy of
commendation. What an one is this? "Who is it that hath engaged," tied,
bound his heart from starting aside like a broken bow, to approach to,
and to continue with Me, saith the Lord?

In the words (to proceed methodically and clearly) I offer the sum of my
thoughts, to be considered under four general heads, or parts.

    I. The opening of the phrases.
    II. The propounding of the point.
    III. The viewing of the duty.
    IV. The encouragement to the practice.

In and through these we shall walk, as travellers, who speed their pace
in those fields which yield no novelties, no fruit, no delight, but
where they meet with varieties to delight the senses, fruitful places,
green pastures to refresh themselves and beasts, they rest themselves
and bait: so in some of these we shall only take and offer a taste, on
others insist, as God shall direct; wherein an engagement of the
attentions in the handling to me, may, through God's mercy, beget an
engagement of the heart to God in the applying of them in order.


I.--_The opening of the phrases._

For the fuller understanding of the prophet's drift, three words or
phrases in this short sentence are a little to be cleared; for it
containeth three parts: 1. An action of piety. 2. The object of this
action. 3. The inquiry into both: and these are expressed in so many
several particles.

1. The action of piety, engaging the heart. The heart may prove loose
and wandering without an engagement: the engagement may be hypocritical
and sinister, if it be not of the heart; but the one implying stability,
the other sincerity, both together complete it as an action of piety.

2. The object of this action, "to approach unto Me." Sin may be the
object pursued, and God may be beheld at a distance: in this, we do not
approach; in that, we approach not to God; but either is needful. God
abhors those that approach to sin: He minds not those that look to Him
at their distance: except then thou approach, and approach unto God, thy
endeavour is either cold or cursed.

3. The inquiry into both, who is this? into the act of engagement,
because it is not usual, into the part engaged, because it is subtile;
and what we seldom see, or groundedly suspect, we have cause to inquire
after.

Of the first; this engagement is a degree of the heart's motion towards
any object, good and bad; for it was an engagement, though a bad one,
when more than forty men bound themselves with an oath from eating and
drinking, till they had killed Paul. To this degree of engagement we
ascend by these steps, and the heart of man perfects a motion towards
God and good things thus gradually.

1. By an inclination or hankering, a propensity in the mind to this or
that: this naturally is evil, and to evil; he that follows his
inclination goes wrong, the whole frame of a man's disposition being
continually ill-disposed. It is called in scripture the speech or saying
of the heart, and used indifferently both of good and bad, yet with a
notable mark of diversity in the original, though translations mind it
not. Eight times in the Old Testament is this phrase, "Said in his
heart," used: four times by the wicked, and as oft by the righteous; but
constantly, whensoever a wicked man useth it, as David's fool, Esau,
Haman, Satan, it is in his heart; when a good man, as Hannah, David, it
is to his heart; and teacheth: 1. That the heart and courses of a wicked
man are subject to his inclinations; they dictate to him; they command,
and he obeys. 2. But the inclinations of a good man are subject to him;
he dictates to them, commands them as things subdued, and fit to be kept
under.

Both these different inclinations, different, I say, in respect of
subject and object, are strengthened with nothing more than the often
reiteration of suitable acts; an evil inclination with evil acts, a good
with good. 1. Sin gathereth strength by frequency of committing, and at
last becomes as natural as meat or sleep. "By following vanity, they
became vain." 2. A good inclination is furthered by good actions;
frequency in performance turns to a habit: therefore the Jews, to
habituate their heart to mourning, do always, for the space of three
days before the memorial of the temple's desolation, in their public
meetings, read chapters of mourning; for (say they) three acts make a
habit. And hereupon it was: that Israel, above and before other nations,
became a blessed people; blessings being even naturalized upon them by
the holiness of the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
immediately succeeding one the other.

2. By a desire, which is an inclination augmented and actuated, carrying
on the party to the thing desired, grounded on, or inclined by some
external enforcements. This was in Paul, who by that relation to, and
interest that he had in, the Thessalonians, endeavoured abundantly with
much desire to see their face, which put him to the essay once and
again.

3. A purpose, a determination to effect, to accomplish his desire. I
have purposed, saith David, "that my mouth shall not transgress," which
purposing, before it be taken up, should be well grounded, and, when
taken up, not lightly altered. For see, how a change in such a purpose,
put the apostle to a serious apology; he was minded to have visited
them, he did not; he foresaw they might, they would tax him of
lightness, as either not minding, or not being master of his own
determinations, and so consequently his ministry, and therein the gospel
might be blemished: the fear of which struck his heart, the prevention
of which moved his spirit, that both they might be satisfied and himself
remain without blame.

4. A resolve, a purpose settled; Daniel was fully resolved, he had laid
this charge upon his heart, that he would not defile himself with the
king's meat.

5. A tie or obligation, whereby the heart, otherwise shifty, is bound to
the work intended, sometime by a single promise, sometime by an oath or
vow, and sometime more publicly by a solemn covenant. And this last and
highest degree is that which the prophet speaks, at least in this sense
I take it. This is that engagement of soul, whereby a man prevents his
starting aside: and this is that first phrase that was to be opened.

Of the second; "to approach unto Me."

This is the object, and this approachment is threefold: 1. In his inward
man. 2. In his outward man. 3. In both. 1. In his inward man; in heart,
by drawing close to God, enjoying a sensible and blessed communion with
Him, which is comfortable in such a degree that, where it is felt, it
needs no bidding to make an engagement. 2. In his outward man, in his
person approaching to God in the practice of all duties commanded; God
in His ordinances is powerfully present, man in their use stands within
this presence. 3. In both, in all his abilities approaching to Him in
managing His holy cause; and therefore holy, because His. God walks in
the midst of His people's armies: when thy sons, O Zion, "are armed
against thy sons," O Greece, "the Lord God is seen over them." These are
those approachings of the saints to their God: the first is their
happiness, the second their duty, the third their honour. It is a happy
thing to enjoy God's comforts in soul; it is our enjoined duty to obey
Him in His ways, and it is an honour to be found standing for the way of
righteousness.

Of the third. The inquiry, "who is this?"

Scripture questions are of several uses, hold forth several senses; here
it seems to be an approbation of the action spoken of. Who is this? What
one is this, that so carefully engageth his heart? This is not ordinary
among men, nor of an ordinary degree in man; few move, fewer engage
themselves to move towards God. This approbation hath, 1. Its foundation
in a duty: I approve this engaging, and the man because he engageth. 2.
Its direction from the subject, heart. The engagement of the outward man
may have wrong principles: that it may be right, let the heart, soul,
inward parts, all that is within us be engaged to bless His holy name.
3. Its limitation from the object, to approach unto me: to engage the
heart to sin, to the creature, to vanity, is neither commendable, nor
approvable; but to close with God, to come to, stay with, and act for
Him, this is that which the prophet, and God in the mouth of the prophet
ever approves. And this brings us to,


II.--_The propounding of the point, and that in these words._

God observes with the eye of approbation, such as engage and tie
themselves to Him; He looks with an approving eye upon this carefulness:
for such an engagement of soul is, 1. Needful. 2. Helpful; needful for
the heart, helpful to our graces.

The needfulness is evident. The heart is slow and subtile, backward and
deceitful; except it be drawn with the cords of such an engagement, it
puts slowly forward; and when thus drawn, it will fall quickly off. Days
of desolation beget resolves, times of terror produce engagements, which
the heart (the storm past) will wilily and wickedly seek to evade. David
suspected this cozenage in himself, when he cries out, Oh! I have many
good thoughts, but a naughty heart; many holy purposes, but a deceitful
spirit: thou hast cause, as a Creator, not to believe the tender of my
obedience, nor as a just God, the promise of submission; but I call to
Thy mercy to give assistance. "Be surety for Thy servant for good:" for
the performance of all good I promise. And Hezekiah in his sickness was
not without fear of this deceitfulness: "Oh Lord, I am oppressed,
undertake for me;" I shall never keep my word, that word which my lips
have spoken; and I have none dare pass his word for me: "do thou, O
Lord, undertake for me."

2. The helpfulness is undeniable; a heart from this engagement may fetch
renewed strength continually. This engagement is a buckler of defence to
arm us against Satan's enticement, is armour of proof to withstand the
world's inducement; it makes us without fear or failing stand upon our
own ground, and renew our courage like the eagle. Job was probably
sometimes seduced with such foolish persuasions, to courses not less
foolish, but he yielded not: what helped him? even his engagement: "I
have made a covenant with mine eyes, how then shall I look on a maid?"
Constancy in good is well-pleasing to God; "If any draw back, His soul
hath no pleasure in them." Whatsoever then is needful for it, or helpful
to it, He both prescribes and approves. O let us engage our hearts to
this approachment, a duty enjoined, a sacrifice accepted.

But there is one scripture that fully showeth the point, and the truth
of it in all particulars. Consider then. Three things may seem necessary
herein to be noted; the act, the approbation, and the reason; and here
we have them all.

1. The act, engaging; or the persons, the engagers of themselves. Thou
hast avouched, set up God this day to be thy God, not only in thy
conscience by the act of faith, but even by thy mouth thou hast uttered
this, probably in some solemn league and covenant. "Thou hast made to
say:" so much the Hebrew word imports.

2. The approbation; and God answers thee accordingly, He hath avouched,
set up thee to be His people; particularly to two privileges; 1. To be
His peculiar people, the people of His own proper possession, joined so
high, united so near, that they are admitted to a participation of many
heavenly privileges; the actions of the one being communicated to the
other; man's prayer is called God's, "I will make them glad in the house
of My prayer," God's people called man's, Moses's people, Moses's law:
so in the law of God, and in his law, that is, the righteous man's law.
2. To keep His commands: this seems rather to be a duty than a
prerogative, yet a prerogative it is for a Christian to be holy,
obedient, righteous: both directly, and accidently. 1. Directly; the
scripture teacheth so. The fruit of a Christian's being made free from
sin is unto holiness. "If you will fear the Lord and serve Him" (these
are Samuel's words to the people) "and not rebel:" what then? what shall
we have? "Then shall you and your king continue to follow the Lord."
Solomon, setting down the recompence of a righteous person, saith, his
reward shall be double, in himself, and in his posterity; in himself,
"he shall walk on in his integrity," in his posterity, "they shall be
blessed after him." 2. Accidently: holiness is a privilege, as well as a
duty; it is a reward, a benefit to him who walks therein. It may, and
oft doth daunt their persecutors, that otherwise would have taken away
their lives. The heathens observe that the majestic presence of a prince
hath dashed the boldness, and so prevented the execution of some
villanous attempt by a base traitor against their persons: and
Christians know that the power of holiness is able to dazzle the
proudest spirits. Herod, saith the text, "feared John," and so a long
while did him no hurt. And the emperor Adrian ceased his persecution
against the Christians of his time, when he understood of their holiness
of life. So true it is both ways, that the punishment of sin is sin, and
the reward of the command is the command.

Both these privileges are again repeated, and further are evidenced in
the following verse; "Thou art His peculiar people, therefore will He
make thee high above all nations, in praise, name and honour, of more
esteem than any; and, thou keepest His commandments, and so He advanceth
thee to be a holy people unto the Lord thy God:" all this evidenceth
God's approbation of an engaging heart.

3. The reason and ground of God's approving this act, they are two. 1.
Because the matter or duties, to which by this bond the heart is tied,
are such as God directly observes with an approving eye. The particulars
are three here specified, and all elsewhere expressly subjected to this
eye of God. _1st._ Thou obligest thyself to walk in His ways, in the
practice of all the duties of the second table; and upon such as depart
from evil, and do good, upon such righteous ones, the eyes of the Lord
are fastened, not His omniscient eye, but His protecting, blessing eye,
that eye the seeing whereof is of the same temper with the open ear
following: "His eye is upon the righteous, and His ear open to their
cry;" that eye which stands in opposition to His face, which is against
the wicked. _2d._ And to observe His ordinances and judgments,
reverently to practise all the duties of the first table to God, and to
such also God casts His eye of respect: "The eye of the Lord is upon
those that fear Him, and that hope in His mercy." _3d._ And to hearken
to the means of both, to hear His voice: "When I counsel thee and
instruct thee in the way that thou shouldst go, Mine eye is upon thee,
both to keep thee to it, and to bless thee in it." 2. Because this
engagement is a means to accomplish His promise: because thou hast
avouched God, God hath avouched thee, and will do as He hath said, and
again, as He hath said; the repetition whereof seems to argue
contentedness in God, in that, by this avouchment, a way was opened for
the accomplishment of His promise. "God is well pleased for His
righteousness sake," delights, when He can evidence Himself to be
righteous and just, for the law and words of His mouth He will magnify
and make honourable in the faithfulness of their accomplishment. Mercy,
the acts of mercy please Him. God finds in a righteous man rest of
spirit, because by him He sends down a full influence of His favour upon
the world. "If the world knew (say some Hebrew doctors,) of what worth a
righteous man was, they would hedge him about with pearls." His life is
beneficial to all, even in some sort to God Himself; for by him mercy is
shewn to the world: his death therefore is of great consequence; a
greater affliction than those curses mentioned; "I will make thy plagues
wonderful; thy heavens shall be brass, they shall distil no dew nor
rain to water the earth; but I will do a marvellous thing, a marvellous
and strange, a good man, a wise man shall be taken away; and I can send
no more blessings upon you:" There remains not a heart engaged, to whom
I delight to approach; whiles such were, mine eye was satisfied with
seeing good, my heart with doing good; now the one is removed, the other
stopped. O where is he that engageth his heart to approach to his God!


III.--_The examining of the Duty._

This engagement being thus approved, and therefore to be entered on; let
us a little examine the duty, and mind two things. 1. What particulars
do engage us, by what acts or thoughts doth the heart become engaged?
And, 2. What hinders this engagement, and stops our entrance thereupon?

I. Several and many ways doth the heart become engaged to God: no
consideration can enter our hearts, no occurrent happen in our lives,
but it offers reasons enforcing this duty. We are engaged to God by our
being, by our receiving, by our doing: mind either, and acknowledge
thyself engaged.

1. Our being what we are, engageth us: _1st._ That we are creatures, and
so not forgotten in the everlasting night of a not-being: that we are
men, and not beasts; that we are Christians, and not heathens; all are
engagements. _2d._ But our being thus and thus; men of gifts and parts:
placed in such callings; qualified with such endowments: interested in
such privileges: these are engagements indeed.

2. What we have. _1st._ Every thing we have received binds us; all the
acts of God's providence over us; all the effects of God's goodness to
us: health, food, callings, trades, friends, families, clothes, the
service of the creatures; sun, rain, fruits of the earth: all, all these
are bonds. _2d._ But especially, our more peculiar favours; inward
experience of His love, and fruition of soul-communion with Him: Oh,
who would not be engaged for this!

3. What we do, even our own actions become our obligations; and that
which comes from us binds us. _1st._ Our feeling prayers. Who dare
practise what he prays against? A prayer against the power of sin,
obliges to walk in the power of that prayer; neither will any lightly
omit what but late as an evil he hath confessed to God. _2d._ But
especially (which is our present work) our solemn and serious vows,
protestations, promises; our covenant in baptism, our particular
covenants entered into, upon the apprehension of some approaching
calamity, upon a day of humiliation, at a piercing sermon, or
soul-searching prayer before a sacrament, or the like. If we have spoken
with our lips, we cannot go back, we are engaged.

II. As for such things that may hinder, we should both note and avoid.
1. Ignorance: "If thou knewest the gift of God," saith Christ to the
Samaritan woman: want of praying comes from want of knowing. "Have you
received the Holy Ghost?" was Paul's question, but the reply was, that
could not be; we "have not so much as heard, whether there be a Holy
Ghost, or no." Have you engaged your souls in a solemn league? Let this
be our querry, and the answer will be, We have not so much as heard,
whether there be such a duty, or no. Ignorance hinders this bond. 2.
Wretched profaneness, which slights and sets at nought all duties,
ordinary, extraordinary; such mind sin, and the fulfilling thereof; and
bind themselves to mischief with cords of vanity; whilst in the mean
time they are contented to sit loose from God. 3. Wicked policy, both to
avoid the taking, and to evade the keeping: scruples of conscience shall
be pretended by such as know not what conscience means. Scripture shall
be alleged, by such as are little versed therein; this sentence shall be
thus explained: this releasement shall be thus pretended: all is but
seemingly to stop the mouth of conscience, that saith, they must both
make and pay vows unto God. Yet the wilfully ignorant will neglect it;
the wretchedly profane will contemn it; the wickedly politic will avoid
it; so the heart shall be left to its own swing, open to all corruption
that breaks in like a flood. For the prevention whereof, let us come on
to


IV.--_Encouragements to the practice._

The point thus propounded, and in several particulars described, wherein
and whereby the soul may be engaged; there is nothing remaining, but the
practice of it, and that is yours. Up then, and be doing; disoblige
yourselves, and be no longer servants to the world, to sin, to obey
either in the lusts thereof; but be ye bound to serve righteousness, and
the God of righteousness; for His service is perfect freedom. In this
encouragement to this work, that I might do as much as I can, in this
little time granted, and gained for preparation and delivery; I would
advise, exhort, resolve, and so prevent irreverence, backwardness, and
doubting; that neither the ignorant may profane, nor the refractory
contemn, nor the scrupulous question this holy ordinance of God, as
unholy needless, ambiguous. Let this encouragement then be received in
words: 1. Cautionary. 2. Hortatory. 3. Satisfactory.

1. _Cautionary._--Let this great work be done judiciously, cautiously,
and as an ordinance of God. Take we heed therefore, 1. To the manner. 2.
To the matter. 3. To the consequence.

1. _To the manner._ See that it be done; 1. Cheerfully. 2. Religiously.

_First_, Cheerfully and willingly; for so did the people of Israel in
their covenanting with God: "They swore unto the Lord with a loud voice,
with shoutings, and trumpets, and music, and they rejoiced because of
the oath." God loves a cheerful giver, His heart is toward those that
willingly offer themselves to the work of the Lord. And here, let me
not conceal the mercy of the Lord to us, in the work now in hand; for
why should not the Lord have the glory of all His favours? God hath
directed our hearts to this duty, cheered up our affections to this
engagement. Who almost sees not His hand in all this? This cheerfulness
and forwardness I now call for, I did, I do, I hope, I shall see.

1st. _I did see._ Which of us, brethren, hath not his heart yet
rejoicing, but even to think upon this work, this last Monday in this
place? Here was cheerfulness: who was not glad to see it? Who was not
encouraged to it? Here was a willing people freely offering themselves
to be bound to the Lord. Here was rejoicing; 1. In the performance: The
like duty was never seen in our days within this land. It was, I am
persuaded, the very birth-day of this kingdom, born anew to comfort and
success; our hearts were then so elevated, they are not settled yet. 2.
For the performance of such a duty, in such a manner, by such persons.
You might here have seen the Hon. House of Commons, unanimously, with
hearts and hands lifted up to the heavens, swearing to the Most High
God. Here might you have seen our dear brethren, the noble and learned
Commissioners of Scotland, willingly coming into this covenant of truth,
as the representatives of, and a pledge for the whole kingdom. Here
might you have seen the grave and reverend Assembly of Divines,
forwardly countenancing others, willingly submitting themselves to this
bond of the Lord. What I then saw, and now rehearse, most of you can
attest. Ask your fathers, consult with the aged of our times, whether
ever such a thing were done in their days, or in the days of their
fathers before them.

2d, _I do see;_ and believe the like now: I have ground to be persuaded,
that you also come with alacrity to this service. 1. The order for the
taking, honours you with this, that you were desirous of yourselves,
without compulsion, to take this upon you: blessed therefore be you of
the Lord, and blessed be the Lord for you. 2. The fulness of this
present assembly, called only for this end, for this duty. The nature of
your persons. Nobles, knights, gentlemen, submit themselves to the yoke
of the Lord. Colonels, captains, officers in the army, soldiers; even
these also stand not off from, but close to, and for this work in hand.
Those of the Scots nation within this city, by their willingness, do
give a check to this cavil raised by some, who have nothing else to say,
yet say this, perhaps the kingdom of Scotland will not take it. We can
instance in none, none that I know here. The ministers of the Lord, that
have refuged themselves to this little sanctuary, both increase and
honour the number of them that swear, their own callings, and
themselves. All these, as they have forwardly offered, so doubtless will
earnestly repair, in their lot, the breaches made in the Lord's house.
Here is cheerfulness.

3d, I hope, I shall see and hear, the next Lord's day, or the next
convenient time, all our people readily coming into this bond; that so,
both English and Scots, parliament and assembly, nobility and city, may
all rejoice together.

_Second_, Religiously: godly works must be done in a godly manner, that
the act done for God's glory may be sanctified with God's presence. With
what serious humiliation, and hearty prayers did Nehemiah begin this
duty? What a number of able men did Josiah collect together? And how
reverently did they read in the Scriptures, and speak of the nature of
the covenant? Both Nehemiah by praying, and Josiah by reading, desired
in this holy business to approve themselves followers of holiness in the
sight of God. And at the last taking in this place, who was not touched
with that feeling prayer, made by that man of God[8]; that godly
exhortation, which followed from another[9]; that pithy relation by
that man of name[10]; that soul-affecting thanksgiving, wherewith a
godly doctor closed the day[11]? and, that no less piety and love of God
might appear in you, after you resolved upon the work; you desired that
the ordinance might be sanctified to you by the word of God and prayer;
you moved me to this employment, and got it ordered accordingly: and
now, I doubt not, but in the action, you will do it with such reverence
of God's majesty, such awfulness of heart, that in lifting up your hands
to the most high God, He may be pleased to accept the sacrifice, and
make it comfortable. Thus to the manner.

II. To the matter. For the matter, that it be lawfully warranted by the
Word of God. To examine these particularly, in all and several parts
thereof, were the work of a volume, not of one sermon; that will be done
by others: but to do something, and what we may for this time; it is not
difficult to parallel from Scripture this covenant in all the parts of
it. The lawfulness of covenanting, I suppose not questionable, as a
furtherance and help to a spiritual progress; we find it oft used: the
New Testament affords but rare instances, the church then in its infancy
having little occasion, and as little need of such combining, fasting
and days of prayer, which are of the same nature, we find often; and the
angel "lift up his hand, (a covenanting gesture) and swore by Him that
liveth," (a covenanting act,) but the Old Testament is full. Take then
this as granted, and come to the particular materials, and in every
part, for every article, we can find an instance. The articles in this
covenant are six: the preamble sets forth, 1. The occasion; their aim at
God's glory, their enemies aim at their ruin. 2. The pattern; the
commendable practice of those kingdoms, and the example of churches in
all ages. The close containeth their resolution against all impediments
that may either stop the taking, or disable the keeping of this league,
their own sins. The body of the covenant contains the articles; the
lawfulness of which seems thus to be warranted.

The first is the reformation of the false, and the preservation of the
true worship of God, and the uniting of all the kingdoms in that truth
thus reformed. Such a covenant took Asa, and his people. The first is
for the reformation of religion decayed. He purged away all the dross,
and removed all the defects. He repaired the altar of the Lord, the main
part of their ceremonial covenant. Then for the uniting of the kingdoms
in the embracing of this truth. Asa gathered all Judah and Benjamin,
this was his own people, the subjects of one kingdom; and with them the
strangers, that is, the inhabitants of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon,
these were the people of another land. So here are the persons
covenanting, the matter covenanted to. The persons, the subjects, two
several kingdoms; the matter, reformation, and to seek the God of their
fathers; to this they all swear, like as the inhabitants of England,
Scotland and Ireland, meet all in one duty, even a covenant, and that to
one end, to seek and serve God in the purity of His ways, after the
purity of His will; to this, as Asa and his people, we swear.

The second is the extirpation of idolatry and wickedness, and all things
contrary to truth, not according to godliness, the proper and perpetual
matter of all covenants. So did Asa, so did Joash, so did Josiah, so did
Nehemiah. 1. Asa took away all abominations. He was impartial, sparing
neither sin, place, nor person: not sin, he removed all abominations;
not place, from all places, towns of his inheritance, and of his
conquest; not person, he deposed his mother, or rather grandmother from
her state for her idolatry. 2. Joash, or his covenanters. Indeed the
people of the land, (for such usually are most zealous) they ruined the
altars, house and all. They broke down all the monuments of idolatry,
all to pieces, thoroughly, to some purpose, priest and all. They slew
Matthan priest of Baal with the sword. 3. Josiah purged the whole
kingdom: and Nehemiah with zeal, extirpated the strange wives Here is a
covenant that rooted out idolatry, popery, the Baalistical prelate
Matthan, and all his prelatical faction the Chemarim, and all this, for
this end, that the Lord might be one, and His name one.

The third is, the preservation of the liberties of the kingdom and the
king, for matters merely civil. Such was that covenant that Jehoiada
established, after their engagements for spirituals to God. He made a
covenant between the king and people, that he should preserve their
liberties, they his authority, and both each other mutually.

The fourth, for the discovery and punishment of malignants, that
increase or continue our division. Without a covenant such a discovery
did Mordecai make of Bigthan and Teresh, the king's eunuchs. Such a
discovery made the Jews of Sanballat, and his fellows to Nehemiah.
Josiah was not without his informers. But with a covenant was the
punishment of such varlets settled. Whosoever would not seek the Lord
God of their fathers, should be slain without sparing, be he whom he
would be, small or great, man or woman. For why should not every one
value the public above the private, the common good before his own?

The fifth, the preservation of the union, and of the pacification
between the two kingdoms. This is the matter of all civil leagues. Such
a league made Isaac with Abimelech, Jacob with Laban, David with Hiram.
But chiefly such a pacification doth God promise to make between Israel
and Judah. They should both live under one king, so do the English and
Scots: and both dwell in one land, so do the English and Scots: they
shall have the same ministry and religion; so do labour the English and
Scots: and a pacification will God make between them, and that by
covenant, and such a covenant, as should never be forgotten or broken;
such a thing are we doing now, and then God's sanctuary shall be placed
among us, the sanctuary of His presence, service, protection, which is
our expectation and our hope.

Lastly, The firm adhering to this covenant, and continuance in the same
notwithstanding all opposition, contradiction, dissuasion to the
contrary whatsoever. All the people stood to the covenant. This was
Josiah's care not only for himself, but for his people; "He made all
that were found in Judah and Benjamin to stand to it; so all his days
they turned not back from the Lord God of their Fathers." This is the
covenant, and this is a general view of the general matter; this is
according to the aim of those that made it, take it, swear to it. Who
but an atheist can refuse the first? who but a papist the second? who
but an oppressor, or a rebel, the third? who but the guilty, the fourth?
who but men of fortune, desperate cavaliers, the fifth? who but light
and empty men, unstable as water, the sixth? In a word, the duty is
such, that God hath ordained; the matter is such, as God approveth; the
taking such, as God observeth; and the consequences such, as God hath
promised. And in them stands my third caution, to which I now come.

III. To the consequences. For the consequences, and issues that do or
must follow upon the taking, be also cautelous; take heed that after
this heart-engagement to God, none start back like a broken bow. See
that you neither, 1. Falsify the oath; or, 2. Profane the oath.

I. Do not falsify the oath, making the actions of the outward man
contrary to this action of the heart. An oath is one of the two
immutable things, wherein it is impossible that God should lie; not
fitting, that man should. The people's forementioned example teaches
constancy, they stood to it. The covenants ordinary epithet
[everlasting] implies continuance: neither can God, nor should man play
the children, say and unsay. All our covenants in Him should be yea; not
yea, and nay. If we prove loose, we prove false, and lie unto God that
made us. Take heed to your covenant. This stone, these walls, these
pillars, these seats shall witness against you, that ye denied Him: to
falsify the engagement, is to deny our God; His power, His revenging
justice, His word, His presence, and the like; if you wilfully falsify
this oath wherewith you are bound, as much as in you lies, you make God
any thing but a God. Keep truth and fidelity for ever.

II. Do not profane it by a slight esteem, by an irreverent taking, by an
unholy life.

_First_, By a slight esteem, as a matter of no moment. Can that be a
trifle, which is the fruit of the judicious consultations of the agents
of both kingdoms, as the only means to perpetuate the union? Can that be
a trifle, which was produced by such, who had merely the glory of God
before their eyes as conducing much thereto? Can that be a trifle, which
is published as the main and sole preventive of all the bloody plots of
God's enemies against the truth? Can that be a trifle, which is now
cleaved to as a means more effectual, and a degree above supplications,
remonstrances, protestations, to preserve ourselves, and our religion?
All this and more the preamble speaks.

_Second_, By irreverent taking. It was resolved on after mature
deliberation. It is a lifting up of the hand to the most high God, and a
swearing by His name, and God's name must not be taken in vain: such
will God not hold guiltless. But of this before.

_Third_, By an unholy life. Such a thing would mar all we have done;
though defiled with former sins, yet now sin no more: our covenant
forbids it: our state now stands thus. Either by our sins we shall make
a breach into our covenant, or by our covenant make a breach from our
sins. In the close of the covenant, we resolve on the endeavour that
this covenant may have its desired fruit. We desire to be humbled for
our own sins, the land's sins, undervaluing the gospel, neglecting the
power, and purity of it, no endeavour to receive Christ into our hearts,
no care to walk worthy of Him in our lives. Such and the like sins a
godly covenanter must shun, lest he profane it. Let us then prize it as
an effectual means of good, take it with a reverend fear of God, honour
it in holiness of life for ever. Let us both verify it, and sanctify it
by continuing to stand in it, by endeavouring to live by it to God's
glory, that this taken covenant may be for the name, the honour, the
praise of the great Jehovah for ever.

II. _Hortatory._ These cautions being observed; come all, and let us
enter into an everlasting covenant with the Lord; come on, and let us
engage our hearts unto our God: we have a propensity to keep off; let a
covenant keep us close: our hearts would be wandering; let a covenant
bind them. Will you trust yourselves without a tie? Do you know
yourselves? Come to this work, with a heart, with a heart lifted up, as
well as a hand, as high as a hand; "Let us lift up our hearts to our
hands;" let the ardency of our affection raise up our spirit to meet the
Lord, to whom we adjoin ourselves for ever. To you I cry, to whom the
order speaks, to every one of you I call, come engage your hearts.

_First_, Nobles, both greater and lesser, think not the duty below you,
too mean for you. There is but one way to heaven for all. Scorn not to
join with inferiors in this work. In Christ there is neither male nor
female, no respect of persons. The same way that the soul of the poorest
is refreshed, is the soul of the richest. Poor men pray, and princes
must pray; common men humble their souls, and repent, and crowned kings
must do so too. The people of God, they walk aright, and all men, great
and small, must follow them alike: the eye of every ordinary man must be
towards the Lord. So as the tribes of Israel are, and the same way must
Tyre and Sidon look, though they be very wise. No largeness of parts,
greatness of place, eminency in gifts, of wisdom, learning, wit, not
amplitude of rule, nor any high thoughts can exempt; but he must subject
himself to the condition and courses of the lowest sort. Heaven regards
not the goodliness of the person, looks not as man looks; for God
regards the heart.

_Second_, Soldiers, for you also are engagers. This says, you have a
noble pattern; but I hope I may say, you outwrite your copy. They came
to John Baptist, and to the place, where he baptized. You come to the
presence of God, and the place, where the heart is to be engaged. They
came to be directed what to do; you to do what has been directed. Ride
you on prosperously in this righteous truth. It lies mainly upon you to
be holy, yea, more than upon others. Your adventures are more hazardous,
your dangers more probable; yea, your deaths perhaps more near.
Therefore,

1. You must remove from you wickedness, and wicked men. Wickedness from
your hearts, wicked men from your armies. Let both your persons be holy,
and your companies holy. God Himself commands the former, the prophet
from God the latter. "When the host goeth forth, then, and then chiefly,
thou shalt keep thee from every evil thing." When Judah's king marched
out, assisted with Israelitish auxiliaries, which were idolaters; let
not (saith the prophet) "the men of Israel go with thee, for God is not
with Israel:" if thou do, thou shalt not prosper. If there were no evil
sin in your hearts, no evil man in your hosts, God would be with you,
with a shout, even the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.

And 2. Your success depends on God's presence. When thou seest
multitudes of armies encircling thee, fear not, for God is with thee,
and God is with thee to save thee; He walks with thee to fight for thee,
and to prosper thee. We shall be cast back, yea, quite off, if God go
not forth with our armies; or, in our armies; the word bears either:
when God goes not in our armies, rules not in our hearts, lives,
conversations, by holiness; then He goes not forth with our armies by
victory and success.

3. The want of godly agents, to manage a godly cause, a great
lamentation. "Help, Lord, save, O God, for the godly fail, and the
faithful cease from among men:" were there any such in being, they would
bear rule with God, and be faithful for the saints, their persons and
prayers would gain prevalency with God, their endeavours and constancy
would show fidelity to the saints, and then in Judah, our land, would
things go well: and as once Ezekiel of the scarcity of fit governors to
rule, so we of fit men to fight, when corruption and looseness hath so
possessed the hearts, and lives of our men of war, that there remains no
sanctified and godly man to make a soldier; "This is a lamentation, and
shall be for a lamentation."

4. What ground have we to expect good? When the sons of darkness go to
cast out the prince of darkness, is this possible? Can Satan cast out
Satan? It is a satisfactory answer, that we rest in, and stops the
mouths of all not incurably blinded, when we hear of protestations, and
promises to maintain the protestant religion and laws of the land; when
we see, that the effecting of the one is by the sword of papists, of the
other, by the hand of delinquents; except we should think, that man can
(as God) work happy ends by contrary means. For we say, how can Satan
cast out Satan? So to ourselves, 'tis not very likely, that, if Satan
keep the hold he hath of our souls, you should dispossess him of that
strong hold he hath of our land. But you know so much, and therefore by
engaging your heart this day to God you first endeavour to expel Satan
out of your own consciences; and then shall you see clearly to drive him
from our kingdom.

_Third_, Our brethren of Scotland, come you, and enter into this sure
covenant. Lay the foundation of such an eternal league and peace, that
the sun shall never see broken: all your countrymen, your kingdom are
not here. Let your forwardness to this work tell us, what they would do,
if they were. Some having nothing else to say, yet cannot withhold to
question, whether the Scots will enter into it or no? As the question is
without any ground, so shall it be without any other answer for the
present, than this; all of that nation in town have been ready to this
great work. Can you instance in any that have been backward to swear
unto the Lord? If in none, then put away prejudicate thoughts, and
entertain in their place earnest desires, that this covenant now by both
kingdoms entered into, may be like Ezekiel's sticks, which resembled the
divided houses of Judah and Israel; which, as the prophet held them,
became one in his hand. So this national covenant taken into the hand of
God's merciful approbation, may this day, this year become one, and for
ever remain one: so that (as Israel and Judah after this typical union
in two sticks) England and Scotland after this religious union in one
covenant, may for ever be one people in this island of Great Britain;
and that one king may continue king to them both; and that henceforth
they may no more be two peoples, nor divided into kingdoms; that our
religion be corrupted no more, as of late; but being cleansed, we may be
the Lord's people, and He may be our God for ever: that Jesus Christ may
bear rule, and we both may have one ministry, and enjoy that truth,
which Christ, when He ascended up on high, gave as a gift to men, during
our days, and the days of our posterity; we, and our sons, and our sons'
sons, from this time forth, and for evermore: that the Lord would plant
His sanctuary among us, and make these two people His dwelling-place
continually: that this covenant may be a covenant of peace, and a
covenant of truth, and a covenant for everlasting. And let all that
desire it, daily pray for it, and now express it, and with cheerfulness
of heart say, Amen, Amen.

_Fourth_, You, my brethren of the ministry, your hearts are to be
engaged too, that you also may gain God by the engagement: be not you
behind the very forwardest of the Lord's people; you are not an
inconsiderable party in this land. The joy and happiness of Israel was
because of the Levites that waited, that were diligent in their duties,
and diligently attended upon the Lord. "I will cause the horn of Israel
to flourish, saith God:" by what means? "I will give thee, Ezekiel, an
open mouth." That God may give you a heart to teach knowledge, come,
engage your hearts as a gift to God. O, saith Moses, "that all the
Lord's people were prophets!" O, say we, that all this land's people had
prophets, but prophets of the Lord, that might feed them with wisdom and
understanding, that they all might know the Lord, from the greatest to
the least of them! But ah? Lord God, the eye of this kingdom is
distempered, dim, and dark; and then how great is this darkness! our
prophets have prophesied lies, and our priests have pleaded for Baal,
and they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?
Instead of standing for God, they have stood against Him; and instead of
being the best, they are become the basest: the prophet that teacheth
lies, he is the tail. If God should come, as once, to seek for a man,
that should stand in the gap, and make up the breach; among these He
would find the fewest: in this respect our state may be like that which
we find described. Christ comes to make a perfect description of His
church, and so consequently, a comfortable expression of Himself to His
church: and whereas the eyes are the chiefest seat of beauty, and
therefore likeliest to be stood upon, he begins thus. "Turn away thine
eyes from me, for they have overcome me." By eyes, understand the
ministry; I come to speak comfortable things to My people, but set away
the ministers out of My sight, for they have overcome My patience, and
filled Me with fury: now these being removed, the description doth
lovingly go on. Thy hair, thy young professors, are like a flock of
goats; thy teeth, thy civil officers, like a flock of sheep; thy
temples, thy ordinary and common Christians. All right but the eyes, the
eyes I cannot endure. But let none of us provoke this complaint, nor
hold off any longer from the Lord that invites. What say you? Are you
willing to this engagement? Will you bind yourselves to the Lord? Let me
extend my speech to all, and dispatch the remains of this point, and my
meaning thus: that you may be encouraged to engage, consider two things.

_First_, The seasonableness.

_Secondly_, The success of such engagements.

_First_, The seasonableness: there is a time for all purposes, and every
word and action is beautiful in his own time. A public engagement is
then seasonable, 1. When a land hath been full of troubles: God by such
troubles prepares a people for Him in this duty. "I will cause you to
pass under the rod, and so I will bring you into the bond of the
covenant." And we know, we feel God hath chastised us sore of late; but
in them He hath not given us over to death, that by them He might
prepare us for Himself. When a land hath been full of corruptions, and a
shrewd decay hath been in spirituals: by a covenant hath such a people
recovered themselves, and regained their God. After the great apostasy
by Athaliah, Jehoiada renewed their interest by a covenant. When
Manasses and his son had suffered destruction from God, and advanced
idolatry with or above God; Josiah purged all by a covenant. Our decays
are evident, our corruptions destructive; our covenant therefore
seasonable. Come, let us engage our hearts to approach to God. 3. When
the enemy begins to fall, and God begins to shine upon His own. Asa
returning from a victory, called his land to a covenant. When Athaliah
was slain, the league was sworn, by Joash and his kingdom. Since this
motion of a covenant is come among us, God hath, as it were, begun to
draw near, in the siege of Gloucester raised, in the success at Newbery,
gained. God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by
little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.

_Second_, The success. Come and see the works of the Lord, what wonders
He hath wrought, when a people hath thus bound themselves to be His. 1.
A king injuriously put from his right by an usurping hand, after such a
covenant was re-established, "He sat him down on the throne of the
kings." 2. A land miserably put from its peace, after such a covenant,
was re-settled, peace was re-obtained; and that as a fruit of prayer,
and so acknowledged, "Israel had sworn, and sought God; God was found of
them: and the Lord gave them rest round about." 3. Religion craftily,
and wickedly put from its purity after such a covenant, was reformed;
after such a reformation continued. The engagement being made, "all
Josiah's days they returned not back from the Lord God of their
fathers." 4. Rebels and rebellion, basely and bloodily backed and
managed against the Lord and His ways, against His people and their
practices; after such a covenant, have been overthrown and subdued, "I
will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Then I will sever from
among you the rebels; I will chase them from their own land, and hinder
that they shall not enter into the land of Israel. The Lord give this
success concerning Ireland, sever out the rebels there from true
subjects; chase them from their own land; and yet keep them from ever
entering into our land, the land of the inheritance of the Lord.

Now these successful effects of covenanting well minded,

_First_, May hint to us a satisfactory reason, in case peace comes not
presently. God hath some more adversaries to overthrow, to worm out; His
sword hath not eaten flesh enough; neither are His arrows drunk with
blood yet; with the blood of such earthly men, whom He hath appointed to
destruction. The hearts of the Philistines were so hardened, that they
never sought after peace, "For it came of the Lord, to the intent that
they might be utterly destroyed." Who knows, whether our peace hath been
denied; our propositions cast out; our treaties fruitless, for such an
end as this? It was of the Lord, who hath a purpose to destroy more. God
lays afflictions on His people, and they continue upon them; but in the
mean space to quiet their spirits, He teacheth them out of His law, that
these troubles must stay only "till a pit be digged for the wicked."

_Second_, May encourage us to go on. You have now armour of proof, such
armour as is not ordinary, armed with a covenant: Go, saith the angel to
Gideon, in this thy might. Go (say I, to every one) in this thy might,
the strength of this thy covenant, and the effect will be such, as is
not ordinary. When the Philistines perceived that the Israelites had
brought the ark of the covenant into the battle, they cried out, "Woe
unto us; for it hath not been so heretofore: woe unto us; who shall
deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods?" When your enemies
shall perceive, that you come armed with the armour of a covenant with
God, I hope they, struck with amazement, shall cry, "Woe unto us; we
were never so opposed before: woe unto us; who shall deliver us out of
the power of this mighty prevailer?" If it will thus daunt, take it with
you, be strong. Again, I say, Go in the might thereof, and God shall
prosper thee for ever.

III. _Satisfactory._ According to the condition of the person, such is
the nature of the objection. One out of the malignity of his spirit,
cavils against the work; another out of tenderness of conscience,
scruples the taking. I shall briefly touch upon one or two, and wind up
all in a few words. The queries I have met with, are such as these: two
objections when I was designed to this service, were sent me in writing,
which, when thoroughly viewed, I perceived nothing at all to concern our
case, or covenant.

_Obj._ 1. Whether by any law, divine or human, may reformation of
religion be brought in by arms? _Ans._ 1. What is this at all to the
covenant, where there is no mention of arms at all? 2. What is this to
our present condition, where reforming by arms is not at all the
question? For if reformation of religion be the case of our affairs;
then either the parliament are they that do it, or the cavaliers: not
the cavaliers, for they are on the defensive: witness all their
declarations. Not the parliament, for then the cavaliers will be found
fighters against religion, and resisters of God. 3. I answer negatively,
it is not. The sword is not the means which God hath ordained to
propagate the gospel: "Go and teach all nations;" not, go and subdue all
nations, is our Master's precept.

_Obj._ 2. Whether to swear to a government that shall be, or to swear
not to dissent from such a future government, be not to swear upon an
implicit faith? _Ans._ 1. This is nothing to the covenant, neither can I
see upon what ground any should raise such an impertinent scruple. 2. It
is, he that so swears, swears upon an implicit faith: for one reason
against the articles of the prelates was, that they forced us to swear
to the homilies that shall be set out. But these things are extravagant.

Other objections by word of mouth have been propounded, some whereof I
will here touch upon.

_Obj._ 1. One would make a stand at the phrase, [in our callings,] as if
some politic mystery were therein involved, and would have it changed,
[according to our callings, or so far forth as they extend.] There is an
identity in the phrase, an action enjoined to be done in such a place,
every corner, as far as that place extends, is that place, and no other.
All is one.

_Obj._ How if the parliament should hereafter see a convenience in
prelacy for this kingdom, were not this oath then prejudicial, either to
the parliament's liberty, or kingdom's felicity? _Ans._ This objection
supposes,

_First_, That the most wicked antichristian government may be a lawful
government in point of conscience.

_Second_, That it is possible, that this prelatical government may be
convenient for a state or kingdom. When as 1. They have been burdensome
in all ages; what opposites in England have they been to our kings, till
their interests were changed? 2. All reformed religions in the world
have expelled them, as incompatible with reformation. 3. They have set
three kingdoms together by the ears, for the least, and worst of causes,
which now lie weltering in their own blood, ready to expire. 4.
Experience now shows, there is no inconvenience in their want; either in
Scotland, or in England.

_Obj._ But what, if the exorbitances be purged away, may not I,
notwithstanding my oath, admit of a regulated prelacy? _Ans._ 1. We
swear not against a government that is not. 2. We swear against the
evils of every government; and doubtless many materials of prelacy must
of necessity be retained, as absolutely necessary. 3. Taking away the
exorbitances, the remaining will be a new government, and no prelacy.

_Obj._ For the discovery of all malignants, all that have been; whether,
if I have a friend, that hath been a malignant, and is now converted, am
I bound to discover him? _Ans._ This his malignity, was either before
the covenant, or since; if before, no. For then this league had no
being, and a _non-ens_ can have no contrariety. If since, the discovery
must be at the first appearance of malignity, whilst he is so.

_Obj._ What if one make a party to uphold prelacy, whilst it stands by
law, must I oppose him, or discover him by virtue of this oath? Doth the
oath bind me to oppose legal acts? _Ans._ i. Quer. Whether there be any
particular law for prelacy? 2. Quer. Whether the making a party be
legal? 3. Quer. Whether any thing, the extirpation of which is sworn by
an ordinance of parliament, can be said to stand by law?

These are some queries I have met with. I heartily wish that the same
tenderness of conscience in all things may be seen, which if not, it
will hardly be called a scruple of tenderness, but a cavil of malignity.
What now remains but only prayers, that the great God of our judgments
and consciences, would so clear and satisfy our souls in these leagues
and bonds, that without reluctancy we may all swear to God, and, having
sworn, we may have a care to keep the oath inviolable; that as once
Israel, so all England may rejoice because of the oath: and God may be
established, and His kingdom settled; that His presence may dwell among
men, and His protection among the sons of men; that He may be near in
our covenanting, found in our prayers, and give us rest; and that we
being engaged, may live to Him, and not to others, henceforth and for
ever.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:

SERMON AT WESTMINSTER.

_BY JOSEPH CARYL.[12]_

"And because of all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our
princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it."

--_Nehemiah_ ix. 38.


The general subject of this verse, is the special business of this day.
A solemn engagement to the Lord, and among ourselves, in a sure
covenant. Wherein we may consider these five things.

_First_, The nature of a covenant, from the whole.

_Secondly_, The grounds of a covenant, from those words, "because of all
this."

_Thirdly_, The property of a covenant, in that epithet, Sure--"we make a
sure covenant."

_Fourthly_, The parties entering into, and engaging themselves in a
covenant, expressed by their several degrees and functions, Princes,
Levites, priests. And were these all? All whom this verse specifies, and
enow to bring in all the rest? Where the governors and the teachers go
before in an holy example, what honest heart will not follow? And the
next chapter shews us, all who were honest hearted, following this holy
example, verse 28: "And the rest of the people, the priests, the
Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had
separated themselves from the people of the lands, unto the law of God,
their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having
knowledge, and having understanding: They clave unto their brethren,
their nobles, and entered into," &c.

_Fifthly_, The outward acts by which they testified their inward sincere
consent, and engaged themselves to continue faithful in that covenant:
First, writing it. Second, sealing to it. Third, (in the tenth chapter,
ver. 29.) "They entered into a curse." Fourth, "Into an oath, to walk in
God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe
to do all the commandments of the Lord their God, with the statutes and
judgments. And that they would not give their daughters to the people of
the land," &c: with divers many articles of that covenant, tending both
to their ecclesiastical and civil reformation.

I begin with the first point, the nature of a covenant. Concerning
which, we may receive some light from the notation of the original
words; 1. For a covenant. 2. For the making of a covenant. The Hebrew
_Berith (a covenant)_ comes from _Barah_, which signifieth two things:
_First_, To choose exactly, and judiciously. _Second_, To eat
moderately, or sparingly. And both these significations of the root
_Barah_, have an influence upon this derivative _Berith_, a covenant:
the former of these intimating, if not enforcing, that a covenant is a
work of sad and serious deliberation, for such are elective acts.
Election is, or ought to be made, upon the rational turn of judgment,
not upon a catch of fancy, or the hurry of our passions.

Now, in a covenant, there is a double work of election: _First_, An
election of the persons, between whom. _Second_, An election of the
conditions, or terms upon which the covenant is entered. As God's
covenant people are His chosen people, so must ours. Some persons will
not enter into covenant, though invited; and others, though they offer
themselves, are not to be admitted. They who are not fit to build with
us, are not fit to swear with us. Some offered their help to the Jews in
the repair of the temple, "Let us build with you, for we seek your God."
But this tender of their service was refused. "Ye have nothing to do
with us, to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will
build." What should we do with their hands in the work, whose hearts, we
know, are not in the work? The intendment of such enjoining, must be
either to build their hay and stubble with our gold and silver, or else
to pull down by night what they build by day, and secretly to undermine
that noble fabric, which seemingly they endeavoured to set up. We find
in this book of Nehemiah, that the persons combining in that covenant,
were choice persons. The text of the tenth chapter, sets two marks of
distinction upon them. _First_, "All they that separated themselves from
the people of the lands, unto the law of God." _Second_, All "having
knowledge, and having understanding." Here are two qualifications,
whereof one is spiritual, and the other is natural. The plain English of
both may be this, "that fools and malignants, such as (in some measure)
know not the cause, and such as have no love at all to the cause, should
be outcasts from this covenant." Such sapless and rotten stuff will but
weaken, if not corrupt this sacred band.

The tenor of the covenant now tendered, speaks thus respecting the
persons. "We noblemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgesses,
ministers of the gospel, and commons, of all sorts, in the kingdom of
England, Scotland, and Ireland." And doth not this indistinctly admit
all, and all, of all sorts? I answer, no. For the words following in
the preface, shew expressly, that only they are called to it, who are of
one reformed religion; which shuts out all papists, till they return.
And the articles pass them through a finer sieve, admitting only such as
promise, yea, and swear, that through the grace of God, they will
sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour the preservation of the
reformed religion, against the common enemy in the one kingdom, the
reformation and extirpation of what is amiss in the other two; as also,
in their own persons, families, and relations. They who do thus, are
choice persons indeed, and they who swear to do thus, are (in charity
and justice) to be reputed so, till their own acts and omissions falsify
their oaths. Thus our covenant makes an equivalent, though not a formal
or nominal election of the persons.

_Second_, There must be a choice of conditions in a covenant; as the
persons obliged, so the matter of the obligation must be distinct. This
is so eminent in the covenant offered, that I may spare my pains in the
clearing of it; every man's pains in reading of it, cannot but satisfy
him, that there are six national conditions about which we make solemn
oath, and one personal, about which we make a most solemn profession and
declaration, before God and the world. And all these are choice
conditions: such as may well be held forth to be (as indeed they are)
the results and issues of many prayers, and serious consultations, in
both the kingdoms of England and Scotland. Conditions they are, in which
holiness and wisdom, piety and policy, zeal for God in purging His
church, and care for man in settling the commonwealth, appear to have
had (in a due subordination) their equal hand and share.

Thus much of a covenant, from the force of the word in the first sense,
leading us to the choice both of persons and conditions.

_Second_, The root signifies, to eat moderately, or so much as breaks
our fast. And this refers also to the nature of a covenant, which is to
draw men into a friendly and holy communion, and converse one with
another. "David describes a familiar friend, in whom he trusted, to be
one, that did eat of his bread." And the apostle Paul, when he would
have a scandalous brother denied all fellowship in church-covenant, he
charges it thus, "With such a one, no not to eat." Hence it was a custom
upon the making up of covenants, for the parties covenanting, soberly to
feast together. "When Isaac and Abimelech sware one to another, and made
a covenant; the sacred story tells us, that Isaac made them a feast, and
they did eat and drink." A covenant is a binder of affection, to assure
it, but it is a loosner of affection, to express it. And their hearts
are most free to one another, which are most bound to one another. How
unbecoming is it, that they who swear together, should be so strange as
scarce to speak together? That which unites, ought also to multiply our
affections.

Further, the word hints so to converse together as not to sin together;
for it signifies moderation in eating. As if it would teach us, that at
a covenant-feast, or when covenanters feast, they should have more
grace, than meat at their tables: or if (through the blessing of God)
their meat be much, their temperance should be more. The covenant yields
us much business, and calls to action: excess soils our gifts, and damps
our spirits, fitting us for sleep, not for work. In and by this
covenant, we (who were almost carried into spiritual and corporal
slavery) are called to strive for the mastery. Let us therefore (as this
word and the apostle's rule instruct us) "Be temperate in all things."
Intemperate excessive eaters will be but moderate workers, especially in
covenant-work. A little will satisfy their consciences, who are given up
to satisfy their carnal appetites. And he who makes his belly his god,
will not make much of the glory of God.

So much concerning the nature of a covenant, from the original word;
for a covenant, signifying both to chuse, and to eat. We may take in
some further light to discover the things from the original word, which
we translate "make"--"Let us make a covenant."

That word signifies properly to cut, to strike, or to slay. The reason
hereof is given, because at the making of solemn covenants, beasts were
killed and divided asunder, and the covenant-makers went between the
parts. When God made that first grand covenant with Abraham, He said
unto him, "Take an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three
years old. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the
midst, and laid all those pieces one against another." "Behold, a
smoking furnace, and a burning lamp" (which latter was the token of
God's presence for the deliverance of His people) passed between those
pieces. In Jeremiah we have the like ceremony in making a covenant,
"They cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof." Upon
this usage the phrase is grounded of cutting or striking a covenant.
Which ceremony had this signification in it, that when they passed
between those divided parts of the slain beast, the action spake this
curse or imprecation, "Let him be cut asunder, let his members be
divided, let him be made as this beast, who violates the oath of this
covenant."

From these observations about the words, we may be directed about the
nature of the thing: and thence collect this description of a covenant.
A covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen parties
or more, whereby with mutual, free, and full consent they bind
themselves upon select conditions, tending to the glory of God, and
their common good.

A covenant strictly considered, is more than a promise, and less than an
oath; unless an oath be joined with it, as was with that in the text,
and is with this we have now before us. A covenant differs from a
promise gradually, and in the formalities of it, not naturally, or in
the substance of it. God made promises to Abraham, Gen. xii. and Gen.
xiii. but He made no covenant with him, till chap. xv. ver. 18. "In that
day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham." And the work of the Lord in
that day with Abraham, had not only truth and mercy in it, but state and
majesty in it. A covenant day, is a solemn day. As the collection of
many stars makes a constellation, so the collection of many promises
makes a covenant. Or, as in the first of Genesis, "The gathering
together of the waters, was by the Lord called seas:" so we may call the
gathering together of promises, or conditions, a covenant. The Lord doth
(as it were) rally all the promises of mercy made to us, which lie
scattered up and down through the whole volume of the scriptures, and
puts them together into a covenant: and we do (as it were) rally all the
promises of duty which we owe unto God, and to one another, and put them
together in a covenant. Such a bundle of duty is tied up in this present
covenant; what duty is there which we owe to God, to His churches, or
these commonwealths whereof we make not promise, either expressly, or by
consequence in the compass of this covenant? And how great an obligation
to duly doth this contain, wherein there is an obligation to every duty?

Seeing then this covenant, being taken, carries in it so great an
obligation, it calls for great preparation before we take it. A
slightness of spirit in taking this covenant, must needs cause a
slightness of spirit in keeping it. All solemn duties, ought to have
solemn preparations; and this I think, as solemn as any. A Christian
ought to set his heart (as far as he can through the strength of Christ)
into a praying frame, before he kneels down to prayer. And we ought to
set our hearts in a promising frame, before we stand up to make such
mighty promises. "Take heed how ye hear," is our Saviour's admonition in
the gospel; surely then we had need take heed how we swear. "Let a man
examine himself (saith the apostle Paul) and so let him eat of that
bread, and drink of that cup;" let him come examined to the sacrament:
so I may say, "Let a man examine himself, before he lift up his hand, or
write down his name;" let him come examined to the covenant.

I shall briefly propose three heads of preparatory examination,
respecting our entrance into this covenant.

_First_, Examine your hearts, and your lives, whether or no you are not
pre-engaged in any covenant contrary to the tenor and conditions of this
covenant? If any such upon inquiry be found, be sure you avoid it,
before you engage yourselves in this. A super-institution in this kind,
is very dangerous. Every man must look to it, that he takes this
covenant _(corde vacante)_ with a heart emptied of all covenants which
are inconsistent with this. For a man to covenant with Christ and His
people for reformation, while he hath either taken a covenant with
others, or made a covenant in his own breast against it, is desperate
wickedness. Or if upon a self-search, you find yourselves clear of any
such engagements, yet search further. Every man by nature is a
covenanter with hell, and with every sin he is at agreement: be sure you
revoke and cancel that covenant, before you subscribe this. "If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer;" that is, He
will not regard my prayers, (saith David). And if we regard iniquity in
our hearts, the Lord will not hear us covenanting; that is, He will not
regard our covenant. Woe be unto those who make this league with God and
His people, while they resolve to continue their league with sin: which
is (upon the matter) a league with Satan. God and Satan will never meet
in one covenant. "For what communion hath light with darkness? and what
concord hath Christ and Belial?"

_Second_, Before you enter into this covenant with God, consider of, and
repent for this special sin, your former breaches and failings in God's
covenant. "We who were sometimes afar off, aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, are made nigh by
the blood of Jesus," even so nigh, as to be in covenant with God. Some
who pretend to this privilege, will be found "Such as have counted the
blood of the covenant to be an unholy thing." And where is the man that
walketh so holily in this covenant as becomes him, and as it requires?
Labour therefore to have those breaches healed by a fresh sprinkling of
the blood of Christ upon your consciences, before you enter this
covenant: If you put this new piece to an old garment, the rent will be
made worse: If you put this new wine into old bottles, the bottles will
break, and all your expected comforts will run out and be lost. If you
should not feel and search your own hearts, without doubt the Lord will.
"And if you be found as deceivers, you will bring a curse upon
yourselves, and not a blessing." This is a covenant of amity with God:
reconciliation must go before friendship, you can never make friendship
till you have made peace, nor settle love, where hostility is unremoved.

_Third_, Inquire diligently at your own hearts, whether they come up to
the terms of this covenant? You must bid high for the honour of a
covenanter, for a part in this privilege. "Which of you," saith our Lord
Christ to His hearers, "intending to build a tower, sitteth not down
first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish
it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, saying, this man began to
build, and was not able to finish." We are met this day to lay the
foundation of one tower, and to pull up the foundation of another; we
are pulling up the foundation of Babel's tower, and we are laying a
foundation for Zion's tower. We have seen some who have heretofore done
as much, but they have done no more; when they had laid a foundation
for those noble works in taking a solemn oath and covenant, they have
never moved a hand after either to build or to pull down, unless it were
quite cross to their own engagements, for the pulling down of Zion's
tower, and the building of Babylon.

And what was the reason of this stand, or contrary motion? this surely
was one, they did not gage their own hearts before hand, neither did
they sit down to count the cost of such an undertaking. And therefore
when they perceived the charge to arise so high, they neither could
finish, nor would they endeavour it, but left the work before it looked
above the ground; and are justly become a mock and a scorn and a
reproach in Israel, these are the men that began in a solemn covenant to
build, but could not finish; they had not stock enough either of true
honour or honesty (tho' their stock of parts and opportunities was
sufficient) to finish this work.

Let us therefore sit down seriously and count the cost; yea and consider
whether we be willing to be at the cost. To lead you on in this, my
humble advice is, that you would catechise your hearts upon the articles
of this covenant. Put the question to your hearts, and let every one say
this unto himself:

Am I indeed resolved sincerely, really and constantly, through the grace
of God, in my place and calling, to endeavour the preservation of the
reformed religion in the church of Scotland? The reformation of religion
in the kingdoms of England and Ireland?

Am I indeed resolved in like manner, without respect of persons, to
endeavour the extirpation of popery, prelacy?

Am I indeed resolved never to be withdrawn or divided by whatsoever
terror or persuasion from this blessed union and conjunction, whether to
make defection to the contrary part, or to give myself to a detestable
indifferency or neutrality in this cause of God?

Am I indeed resolved to humble myself for my own sins, and the sins of
the kingdom? to amend myself, and all in my power, and to go before
others in the example of a real reformation?

According to these hints, propose the question upon every clause of this
covenant. And then consider what the cost of performing all these may
amount to, and whether you are willing to go to that cost.

But it may be, some will say, what is this cost? I answer, the express
letter of the covenant tells you of one cost which you must be
constantly at, and that is sincere, real, and constant endeavour. Pains
is a price, I am sure real pains is. The heathens said, "That their gods
sold them all good things for labour." The good things of this covenant
are sold at that rate; yea, this is the price which the true God puts
upon those things which He freely gives. To consent to this covenant, to
wish well to this covenant, to speak well of this covenant, come not up
to the price; you must do these, and you must do more, you must be
doing, so the promise of every man for himself runs, I will through the
grace of God endeavour. Yet every endeavour is not current money,
payable as the price of this covenant: there must be a threefold stamp
upon it. Unless it bear the image and superscription of sincerity,
reality, and constancy, it will not be accepted. For so the promise
runs, "I will sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour."

Neither yet is this all. Such endeavours are virtually money; but as
this covenant calls also for money formally, as the price of it, he that
really endeavours after such ends, as here are proposed, must not only
be at the cost of his pains, but also at the cost of his purse for the
attainment of them. He must open his hand to give and to lend as well as
to work and labour. Unless a man be free of his purse as well as of his
pains, he bides not up to the demands of this covenant, nor pays up to
his own promise when he entered into it. Can that man be said really to
endeavour the maintenance of a cause while he lets it starve? or, to
strengthen it while he keeps the sinews of it close shut up? Would he
have the chariot move swiftly, who only draws but will not oil the
wheels? Know then and consider it that the cost you must be at is both
in your labours and in your estates. The engagement runs to both these:
and to more than both these.

The covenant engages us not only to do but to suffer, not only to
endeavour but to endure. Such is the tenor of the sixth article where
every man promises for himself that he will not suffer himself to be
withdrawn from this blessed Union by any terrors. If not by any terror,
then not by any losses, imprisonments, torments, no, nor by death, that
king of terrors. You see, then, that the price of this covenant may be
the price of blood, of liberty, and of life. Sit down and consider. Are
you willing to be at this cost to build the tower? Through the goodness
of God in ordering these great affairs, you may never come actually to
pay down so much, haply, not half so much, but except you resolve (if
called and put to it by the real exigencies of this cause) to pay down
the utmost farthing, your spirits are too narrow and your hearts too low
for the honour and tenor of this covenant. If any shall say these
demands are very high and the charge very great, but is a part in this
covenant worth it? Will it quit cost to be at so great a charge? Wise
men love to see and have somewhat for their money; and when they see
they will not stick at any cost so the considerations be valuable.

For the answering and clearing of this, I shall pass to the Second point
which holds forth the grounds of a covenant from those words of the
text, "And because of all this." If any one shall be troubled at the
"All this" in the price, I doubt not but the "All this" in the grounds
will satisfy him. Because of all this, we make a sure covenant. Here
observe:

1. A covenant must be grounded on reason: we must shew the cause why.
God often descends, but man is bound, to give a reason of what he doeth.
Some of God's actions are above reason, but none without reason. All our
actions ought to be level with reason and with common reason, for it is
a common act. That which men of all capacities are called to do, should
lie in the reach of every man's capacity. Observe:

2. A covenant must be grounded on weighty reason; there must be much
light in the reason (as was shewed before) but no lightness. "Because of
all this" saith the text. There were many things in it, and much weight
in every one of them.

And the reasons, in their proportion, must at least be as weighty as the
conditions. Weighty conditions will never be balanced with light
reasons. If a man ask a thousand pounds for a jewel, he is bound to
demonstrate that his jewel is intrinsically worth so much, else no wise
man will come up to his demands. So when great things are demanded to be
paid down by all who take part in this covenant, we are obliged to
demonstrate and hold forth an equivalent of worth in the grounds and
nature of it. Hence observe

3. That the reasons of a covenant must be express, "Because of all
this." _This_ is demonstrative. Here's the matter laid before you,
consider of it, examine it thoroughly. This is fair dealing, when a man
sees why he undertakes, and what he may expect, before he is engaged.
And so may say, "Because of this, and this, because of all this," I have
entered into the covenant.

But what were the particulars that made up the gross sum of all this? I
answer, those particulars lie scattered throughout the chapter, the
attentive reader will easily find them out; I shall in brief reduce
them unto two heads. 1. The defection and corruptions that were crept
in, or openly brought in among them. 2. The afflictions, troubles, and
judgments that either were already fallen, or were feared would further
fall upon them.

The former of these causes is laid down in the 34 and 35 verses of this
chapter. "Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our
fathers kept Thy law, nor hearkened to Thy commandments, and Thy
testimonies, wherewith Thou didst testify against them. For they have
not served Thee in Thy kingdom, and in Thy great goodness."

The latter of these reasons is contained in the 36 and 37 verses.
"Behold, we are servants this day; and for the land which Thou gavest
unto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof,
behold, we are servants in it." The close of all is, we are in great
distress. From this narrative of the grounds, the making of a covenant
is inferred as a conclusion, in the immediate subsequent words of the
text, "because of all this." As if he had said, "because we are a people
who have so departed from the laws and statutes of our God, and are so
corrupted both in worship, and in practice; because we are a people so
oppressed in our estates, and liberties, and so distressed by judgments
and afflictions: therefore, because of all this, we make a sure
covenant."

And if we peruse the records of the holy Scripture, we shall find, that
either both these grounds conjoined, or one of them, are expressed as
the reasons at any time inducing the people of God, to enter into the
bond of a covenant. This is evident in Asa's covenant, 2 Chron. xv. 12,
13. In Hezekiah's, 2 Chron. xxix. 10. In Josiah's, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 30,
31. In Ezra's, chap. x. 3. To all which, I refer the reader for
satisfaction. And, from all consenting with this in the text, I observe:

That when a people are corrupted or declined in doctrine, worship, and
manners; when they are distressed in their liberties, livelihoods, or
lives; then, and at such a time they have warrantable and sufficient
grounds to make and engage themselves (as their last and highest resort
for redress) in the bonds of a sacred solemn covenant.

What engagement can be upon us, which these reasons do not reach and
answer? The liberty of our persons, and of our estates, is worth much;
but the liberty of the gospel and purity of doctrine and ordinances, are
worth much more. Peace is a precious jewel, but who can value truth? The
wise merchant will sell all that he hath with joy to buy this, and
blesses God for the bargain.

And because of all this, we are called to make a covenant this day.
Truth of doctrine and purity of worship were going, and much of them
both were gone. The liberty of our persons, and property of our estates,
were going, and much of them both were gone; we were at once growing
popish and slavish, superstitious and servile; we were in these great
distresses, "And because of all this we make a covenant this day." That
these are the grounds of our covenant, is clear in the tenor of the
covenant. The preamble whereof speaks thus:

"We calling to mind the treacherous and bloody plots, conspiracies,
attempts, and practices of the enemies of God, against the true religion
and professors thereof, in all places, especially in these three
kingdoms, ever since the reformation of religion; and how much their
rage, power and presumption are of late, and at this time increased and
exercised, whereof the deplorable estate of the church and kingdom of
Ireland, the distressed estate of the church and kingdom of England, and
the dangerous estate of the church and kingdom of Scotland, are present
and public testimonies: we have now at the last, for the preservation of
ourselves, and our religion, from utter ruin and destruction, after
mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and
solemn league and covenant."

So then, if we be asked a reason of our covenant, here are reasons,
clear reasons, easy to the weakest understanding, yea, open to every
man's sense. Who amongst us hath not felt these reasons? and how many
have smarted their proof unto us? And as these reasons are so plain,
that the most illiterate and vulgar understandings may conceive them; so
they are so weighty and cogent, that the most subtile and sublime
understandings cannot but be subdued to them; unless, because they are
such masters of reason, they have resolved to obey none. And yet where
conscience is indeed unsatisfied, we should rather pity than impose, and
labour to persuade, rather than violently to obtrude. Now seeing we have
all this for the ground of a covenant, let us cheerfully and reverently
make a sure covenant, which is the third point in the text, the property
of this covenant: we make a sure covenant.

In the Hebrew, the word covenant is not expressed. The text runs only
thus, we make a sure one, or a sure thing. Covenants are in their own
nature and constitution, things of so much certainty and assurance, that
by way of excellency, a covenant is called, a sure one, or an assurance.
When a sure one is but named, a covenant must be understood. As, the
"Holy One" is God, and the "Holy One and the Just," is Christ. You may
know whom the Holy Ghost means, when He saith "The Holy One and the
Just." So the sure one, is a covenant. You may know what they made, when
the Holy Ghost saith, they made a sure one. Hence observe, that

A well grounded covenant is a sure, a firm, and an irrevocable act. When
you have such an _all this_, (and such you have) as is here concentrated
in the text, to lay into, or for the foundation of a covenant, the
superstruction is _ęternitati sacrum_, and must stand for ever.

A weak ground is but a weak obligation; and a sinful ground is no
obligation. There is much sin in making a covenant upon sinful grounds,
and there is more sin in keeping of it. But when the preservation of
true religion, and the vindication of just liberties meet in the
groundwork, ye may swear and not repent; yea, if ye swear, ye must not
repent. For because of all such things as these, we ought (if we make
any, and that we ought) to make a sure covenant.

The covenant God makes with man is a sure covenant. Hence called a
"Covenant of salt," because salt preserves from perishing and
putrefaction. The covenant of God with man about temporal things, is
called a "Covenant of Salt, and a covenant forever." For tho' His
covenant about temporal things (as all temporals must) hath an end of
termination, yet it hath no end of corruption: time will conclude it,
but time cannot violate it. But as for His covenant about eternal
things, that, like eternity, knows not only no end of corruption, but
none of termination. "Altho' my house (saith gasping David) be not so
with God; yet He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in
all things and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire,
altho' He make it not to grow." And what is it that makes the covenant
of God with man thus sure? sure not only in itself, but (as the apostle
speaks) to all the seed. Is it not this, because it hath a strong
foundation, a double, impregnable foundation? _First_, His own free
grace. _Second_, The blood of Christ; which is therefore also called,
the blood of the covenant. Because of all this, this all, which hath an
infinity in it, the Lord God hath made with us a sure covenant.

Now, as the stability and everlastingness of God's covenant with His
elect, lies in the strength of the foundation, "His own love, and the
blood of His Son:" so the stability and firmness of our covenant with
God, lies in the strength of this foundation, the securing of the
gospel, and the asserting of gospel-purity in worship, and privileges
in government; the securing of our lives, and the asserting of our
common liberties. When at any time ye can question, and, from the
oracles of truth, be resolved, that these are sufficient grounds of
making a covenant, or that these are not ours, ye may go, and unassure
the covenant which ye make this day.

_Application._ Let me therefore invite you in the words of the prophet
Jeremiah, "Come let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant that shall never be forgotten." And do not these look like the
days wherein the prophet calls to the doing of this? "In those days, and
at that time, saith the Lord." What time, and what days were those? the
beginning of the chapter answers. "The word that the Lord spake against
Babylon, declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a
standard, publish and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bell is
confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her
images are broken in pieces: for out of the north there cometh up a
nation against her, which shall make her land desolate." Then follows,
"In those days and at that time saith the Lord, the children of Israel
shall come. And they shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces
thitherward saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a
perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten."

Are not these the days, and this the time (I speak not of time to a day,
but of time and days) wherein the Lord speaks against Babylon, and
against the land of the Chaldeans: wherein He saith, "Declare among the
nations, and publish, and set up the standard." Are not these the days,
and this the time, when out of the north there cometh up a nation
against her? As face answers face in the water, so do the events of
these days answer, if not the letter, yet much of the mystery of this
prophecy. There seems wanting only the work which this day is bringing
forth, and a few days more (I hope) will bring unto perfection, the
joining of ourselves in a perpetual covenant, never to be forgotten. It
is very observable, how the prophet, as it were, with one breath saith,
"Babylon is taken." And, "Come let us join ourselves in covenant." As if
there were no more in it but this, take the covenant, and ye take
Babylon. Or, as if the taking of a covenant were the ready way, the
readiest way to take Babylon. Surely at the report of the taking of this
sure covenant, we in our prayer-visions (as the prophet Habakkuk), "May
see the tents of Cushan in affliction, and the curtains of the land of
Midian tremble." Or, as Moses in his triumphant song, "The people shall
hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold of the inhabitants of
Palestina. The dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab,
trembling shall take hold upon them; the inhabitants of Canaan (who are
now the inhabitants of Babylon) shall melt away. The towers of Babylon
shall quake, and her seven hills will move. The great mountain before
our Zerubbabel, will become a plain, and we shall bring forth the
head-stone (of our reformation) with shouting, crying, grace, grace unto
it." Why may we not promise to ourselves such glorious effects (and not
build these castles in the air) when we have laid so promising a
foundation, this sure covenant, and have made a perpetual covenant,
never to be forgotten?

The three things I shall propose, which this covenant will bring in, as
facilitating contributions to so great a work:

1. This covenant will distinguish men, and separate the precious from
the vile. In the twentieth chapter of Ezekiel, the Lord promiseth His
people, after this manner, "I will cause you to pass under the rod, and
I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." The phrase of causing
to pass under the rod, is an allusion to shepherds, or the keepers of
cattle, who when they would take special notice of their sheep or
cattle, either in their number to tithe them, or in their goodness to
try them, they brought them into a fold, or some other inclosed place,
when letting them pass out at a narrow door, one by one, they held a rod
over them, to count or consider more distinctly of them. This action was
called a "passing of them under the rod," as Moses teaches us, "And
concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever
passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." The
learned Junius expounds that text in Ezekiel by this in Leviticus,
giving the sense thus, "As if the Lord had said, I will prove and try
the whole people of Israel, as a shepherd doeth his flock, that I may
take the good and sound into the fold of My covenant, and cast out the
wicked and unsound." Which interpretation is not only favoured, but
fully approved, in the words immediately following, "I will bring you
into the bond of the covenant, and I will purge out from among you the
rebels, and them that transgress against Me."

A covenant is to a nation, as a fan to the floor, which purges away the
chaff and purifies the wheat. It is like the furnace to the metal, which
takes away the dross and shews you a refined lump. It is a Shibboleth,
to distinguish Ephraimites from Gileadites. And who knows not how great
an advantage it is for the successful carrying on of any honourable
design, to know friends from enemies, and the faithful from false
brethren? Some have thought it unpolitical to set-a-foot this covenant,
lest it should discover more enemies than friends, and so holding out to
the view more than otherwise can be seen, the weakness of a party may
render them, not only more obnoxious, but more inconsiderable.

To this I answer, in a word, invisible enemies will ever do us more hurt
than visible; and if we cannot deliver ourselves from them, when they
are seen and known, doubtless unseen and unknown, they will more easily,
tho' more insensibly devour us. And I verily believe, we have already
received more damage and deeper wounds from pretended friends, than
from professed and open enemies. The sad stories of Abner and Amasa
inform us, that there is no fence against his stroke, who comes too near
us, who stabs while he takes us aside to speak kindly to us, who draws
his sword, while he hath a kiss at his lips, and art thou in health, my
brother, at his tongue. Let us never think ourselves stronger, because
we do not know our weakness; or safer, because we are ignorant of our
danger. Or that our real enemies and false friends will do us less hurt,
because they are less discovered. I do not think, that a flock ever
fared the better, because the wolves that were amongst them, went in
sheep's clothing. Rather will our knowledge be our security, and the
discovery which this covenant makes, help on both our deliverance and
our business. For as, possibly, this covenant may discover those who are
faithful to be fewer, than was supposed before this strict distinction
from others; so it will certainly make them stronger than they were
before, by a stricter union among themselves. And this is

2. The second benefit of this covenant, which I shall next insist upon.
As it doth separate those who are heterogeneal, so likewise it will
congregate and embody those who are homogeneal. And therefore it cannot
but add strength unto a people; for whatsoever unites, strengthens. A
few united, are stronger than a scattered multitude. Tho' they who
subscribe this covenant should be, comparatively, so few, as the prophet
speaks, "That a child may write them;" yet this few thus united are
stronger than so many scattered ones, as exceed all arithmetic, whom (as
John speaks,) "No man can number." Cloven tongues were sent, to publish
the gospel, but not divided tongues, much less divided hearts: the
former hindered the building of Babel, and the latter, tho' tongues
should agree, will hinder the building of Jerusalem. Then a work goes on
amain, when the undertakers, whether they be few or many, all speak and
think the same thing. A people are more considerable in any work,
because they are one, than because they are many. But when many and one
meet, nothing can stand before them. So the Lord God observed, when "He
came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men
builded." And the Lord said, "Behold, the people is one, and they have
all one language: and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be
restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." Men may do as
much as they can think, while they all think and do as one; and not only
can such do great things, if let alone; but none can let them in doing
what they intend; so saith the Lord, "They have begun to do, and nothing
will be restrained from them, which they have imagined." Nothing could
restrain, or let them from their work, but His power, who "will work,
and none can let it." Thus it is apparent that union is our strength.
And it is as apparent that this covenant, through the blessing of God
upon it, will be our union. To unite, is the very nature of a covenant.
Hence it is called "the bond of the covenant, I will bring you into the
bond of the covenant," saith the Lord. Junius and some others render it,
I will bring you _(ad exhibitionem foederis)_ to the giving or tendering
of the covenant: deriving the word from _Masar_, signifying, to exhibit
or deliver. Whence (to note that in passage) the traditionary doctrine
among the Jews is called _Masora_, or _Masoreth_. Others (whom our
translators fellow, and put the former sense, delivering, in the margin)
others, I say, deriving the word from _Asar_ to bind, render it the bond
of the covenant.

And this covenant is the bond of a twofold union. _First_, It unites us
of this kingdom among ourselves, and this kingdom with the other two.
_Second_, It makes a special union of all those who shall take it holily
and sincerely throughout the three kingdoms with the one-most God. Weak
things bound together, are strong, much more then, when strong are bound
up with strong: most of all, when strong are bound up with Almighty. If
in this covenant, we should only join weak to weak, we might be strong.
But, blessed be God, we join strong, as creatures may be accounted
strong, with strong. The strong kingdoms of England and Ireland, with
the strong kingdom of Scotland. A threefold cord twisted of three such
strong cords, will not easily, if at all, be broken. They which single,
blessed be God, have yet such strength, how strong may they be when
conjoined? as the apostle writes, "I speak after the manner of men,
because of the infirmity of your flesh:" so I speak now after the manner
of men, concerning the strength of our flesh, outward means, in these
kingdoms. For as the apostle Peter speaks in like phrase, tho' to
another occasion, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some
men count slackness:" so I may say, no man, no kingdoms, are strong to
any purpose, as the Lord counts strength.

And therefore, I reckon this the least part of our strength, that these
three strong kingdoms will be united by this covenant. Nay, if this were
all the strength, which this union were like to make, I should reckon
this no strength at all. Wherefore, know that this covenant undoubtedly
is, and will be a bond of union between strong and Almighty: between
three strong nations, and an Almighty God. This covenant engages more
than man, God also is engaged; engaged, through His free grace, in His
power, wisdom, faithfulness, to do us good, and much good, tho' in and
of ourselves unworthy of the least, unworthy of any good.

All this considered, this covenant will be our strength: our brethren of
Scotland have, in a plentiful experience, found it so already. This
covenant, thro' the blessing of God upon their councils and endeavours,
hath been their Samson's lock, the thing in fight, wherein their
strength lieth. And why should not we hope, that it will be ours; if we
can be wise, as they, to prevent or overcome the flattering enticements
of those Delilahs who would lull us asleep in their laps, only for an
opportunity to cut or shave it off? Then indeed, which God forbid, we
should be but weak like other men, yea, weaker than ourselves were
before this lock was grown, having but the strength of man; God utterly
departing from us, for our falseness and unfaithfulness in this
covenant.

3. This covenant observed will make us an holy people, and then, we
cannot be an unhappy people. That which promotes personal holiness, must
needs promote national holiness. The consideration that we are in the
bonds of a covenant, is both a bridle to stop us from sin, and a spur to
duty. When we provoke God to bring evil upon us, He stays His hand by
considering His covenant. "I will remember My covenant, saith the Lord,
which is between Me, and you; and every living creature of all flesh;
and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh." As if
the Lord had said, It is more than probable, that I shall quickly see as
much cause, "all flesh corrupting all their ways before Me," to drown
the world with a second deluge, as I did for the first: the foulness of
the world, will quickly call for another washing. But I am resolved,
never to destroy it by water again; for, "I will remember My covenant."
Hence also in the second book of the Chronicles, chap. xxi. where the
reign and sins of Jehoram are recorded; such sins as might justly put a
sword into the hand of God to cut him off root and branch; howbeit,
saith the text, "The Lord would not destroy the house of David, because
of the covenant that He had made with David, and as He promised to give
a light to him, and to his sons forever." Now, as the remembrance of the
covenant on His part, stays the hand of God from smiting; so the
remembrance of the covenant on our part, will be very effectual to stay
our hands, and tongues, and hearts from sinning. A thought of that will
damp and silence our lusts and passions, when they begin to move or
quest within us: it will also break the blow of Satan's temptations,
when he assaults us. The soul in such cases will answer, True, I am now
as strongly tempted to sin as ever, I have now as fair an opportunity to
commit sin as ever, I could now be false to, and desert this cause with
as much advantage, upon as fair hopes and promises as ever: O! but I am
in covenant, I remember my covenant, I will not, I cannot do it; and so
he falls a praying against the temptation: yea, he begs prayers of
others, that he may be strengthened against, and overcome it. I read you
an instance of this effect. Before the sermon, a paper is sent to this
congregation, containing this request: "One who through much passion
oftentimes grievously offends the Majesty of God by cursing and
swearing, and that since his late taking the covenant, desires the
prayers of this congregation, that his offence may be pardoned, and that
he may be enabled to overcome that temptation from henceforwards." This
is the tenor of that request, to a letter and a tittle, and therein you
see how the remembrance of the covenant wrought. Probably this party
(whosoever he was) took little notice of, or was little troubled at the
notice of these distempers in himself before; least of all sought out
for help against them. And I have the rather inserted this to confute
that scorn which, I hear, some have since put upon that conscientious
desire. As if one had complained, that since his swearing to the
covenant he could not forbear swearing, and that this sacred oath had
taught him profane ones. But what holy thing is there which swine will
not make mire of, for themselves to wallow in? I return; and I nothing
doubt, but that this covenant, wherein all is undertaken through the
grace of Christ, will make many more gracious who had grace before, and
turn others, who were running on amain in the broad way, from the evil
and error of their ways, into the way which is called holy, or into the
ways of holiness. Every act wherein we converse with an holy God, hath
an influence upon our spirits to make us holy. The soul is made more
holy in prayer, tho' holiness be not the particular matter of the
prayer: a man gets much of heaven into his heart, in praying for earthly
things, if he pray in a spiritual manner; and the reason is because, in
prayer, he hath converse with, and draws nigh to God, whatsoever lawful
thing he prays about. And the same reason carries it in covenanting,
tho' it were only about the maintenance of our outward estates and
liberties, forasmuch as therein we have to do with God. How much more
then will holiness be increased through this covenant which, in many
branches of it, is a direct covenant for, and about holiness? And if we
improve it home to this purpose, for the subduing of those mystical
Canaanites, those worst and indeed most formidable enemies, our sinful
lusts: if we improve it for the obtaining of more grace, and the making
of us more holy: tho' our visible Canaanites should not only continue
unsubdued by us, but subdue us; though our estates and liberties should
continue, not only unrecovered, but quite lost; tho' we should neither
be a rich, nor a free, nor a victorious people; yet if we are an holy
people, we have more than all these, we have all, He is ours, "Who is
all in all." So much of the first general part of the application.

The second is for admonition and caution, in three or four particulars.

1. Take heed of "profaning this covenant," by an unholy life. Remember
you have made a covenant with heaven; then do not live as if you had
made a "covenant with hell or were come to an agreement with death," as
the prophet Isaiah characters those monsters of profaneness. Take heed
also of "corrupting this covenant," by an unholy gloss. Wo be unto those
glossers that corrupt the text, pervert the meaning of these words: who
attempt to expound the covenant by their own practice, and will not
regulate their practice by the covenant. The apostle Peter speaks of
Paul's writings, "That in them some things are hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the
other scriptures, to their own destruction." We may fear, that tho' the
text of this covenant be easy to be understood, yet some (who, at least
think themselves learned), and whom we have found not only stable but
stiffened in their own erroneous principles and opinions, will be trying
their skill, if not their malice, to wrest, or, as the Greek imports, to
torture and set this covenant upon the rack, to make it speak and
confess a sense never intended by the composers, or proposers of it: and
whereof (if but common ingenuity be the judge) it never will, nor can be
found guilty. All that I shall say to such is that in the close of the
verse quoted from the apostle Peter, let them take heed such wrestings
be not (worst to themselves, even) to their own destruction.

2. Take heed of delaying to perform the duties of this covenant. Some, I
fear, who have made haste to take the covenant, will take leasure to act
it. It is possible, that a man may make too much haste (when he swears,
before he considers what it is) to take an oath; but, having taken it
upon due consideration, he cannot make too much haste to perform it. "Be
not rash with thy mouth," saith the preacher. That is, do not vow
rashly, but, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it: for
He hath no pleasure in fools (slow performance is folly); pay that which
thou hast vowed." Speedy paying (like speedy giving) is double payment;
whereas slow payment is no payment or as bad as none, for it is foolish
payment. A bond, if I mistake not, is presently due in law, if no day be
specified in the bond. It is so I am sure in this covenant; here is no
day set down, and therefore all is due the same day you take it. God and
man may sue this bond presently for non-payment: the covenant gives no
day, and therefore requires the next day, every day. It is not safe to
take day for payment, when the obligation is _in terminis de pręsenti_,
and none is given.

3. Take heed of dallying with this covenant. It is more than serious, a
sacred covenant. It is very dangerous jesting with edged tools. This
covenant is as keen as it is strong. Do not play fast and loose with it,
be not in and out with it; God is an avenger of all such: He is a
jealous God, and will not hold them guiltless, who thus take His name in
vain. They who swear by, or to the Lord, and swear by Malcham, are
threatened to be cut off. To be on both sides, and to be on no side;
neutrality and indifferency differ little, either in their sin or
danger.

4. Above all, take heed of apostatizing from, or an utter desertion of,
this covenant. To be deserted of God, is the greatest punishment, and to
desert God, is the greatest sin. When you have set your hands to the
plough, do not look back: remember Lot's wife. Besides the sin, this is,
_First_, Extremely base and dishonourable. It is one of the brands set
upon those Gentiles whom "God had given up to a reprobate mind, and to
vile affections," that they were covenant breakers. And how base is that
issue which is begotten between, and born from vile affections, and a
reprobate mind? where the parents are such, it is easy to judge what the
child must be. _Second_, Besides the sin and the dishonour, this is
extremely dangerous and destructive. We are said in the native speaking,
to cut a covenant, or to strike a covenant, when we make it; and if we
break the covenant when we have made it, it will both strike and cut us,
it will kill and slay us. If the cords of this covenant do not bind us,
the cords of this covenant will whip us; and whip us, not as with cords,
but as with scorpions. The covenant will have a quarrel with, and sends
out a challenge unto such breakers of it, for reparation. And (if I may
so speak) the great God will be its second. As God revenges the quarrel
of His own covenant, so likewise the quarrel of ours. He hath already
"Sent a sword to revenge the quarrel of His covenant." He will send
another to revenge the quarrel of this upon the wilful violators of it.
Yea, every lawful covenant hath a curse always waiting upon it, like a
marshal or a sergeant, to attack such high contemners of it. It was
noted before from the ceremony of killing, dividing, and passing between
the divided parts of a beast, when covenants were made, that the
imprecation of a curse upon the covenanters was implied, in case they
wilfully transgressed or revolted from it. Let the transgressors of, and
revolters from this covenant, fear and tremble at the same curse, even
the curse of a dreadful division: "That God will divide them and their
posterity in Jacob, and scatter them in our Israel; yea, let them fear,
that God will rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be
chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling
wind before the whirlwind. This is (their portion, and) the portion of
them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us." And if so, is not
their lot fallen in an unpleasant place? have they not a dreadful
heritage? to be under any curse is misery enough; but to be under a
covenant curse, is the greatest, is all misery. For as the blessings we
receive are most sweet, when they pass to us through the hands of a
covenant; a mercy from a promise is far better than a mercy from bare
Providence, because then it is sprinkled with the blood of Christ: so on
the other side, the curse which falls upon any one is far more bitter
when it comes through a covenant, especially an abused, a broken
covenant. When the fiery beams of God's wrath are contracted into this
burning glass, it will burn as low as hell, and none can quench it. That
alone which quenches the fire of God's wrath is the blood of Christ. And
the blood of Christ is the foundation of this covenant. Not only is
that covenant which God hath made with us founded in the blood of
Christ, but that also which we make with God. Were it not by the blood
of Christ, we could not possibly be admitted to so high a privilege.
Seeing then the blood of Christ only quenches the wrath of God, and this
blood is the foundation of our covenant, how shall the wrath of God
(except they repent, return and renew their covenant) be quenched
towards such violators of it? And, as our Saviour speaks upon another
occasion, "If the light which is in them be darkness, how great is that
darkness?" So, I say, if that which is our friend turn upon us as an
enemy, how great is that enmity; and if that which is our mercy be
turned into wrath, how great is that wrath, and who can quench it? It is
said of good king Josiah, that when he had made a covenant before the
Lord, "he caused all that were present in Jerusalem, and in Benjamin, to
stand to it." How far he interposed his regal authority, I stay not to
dispute. But he caused them to stand to it; that is openly to attest,
and to maintain it. Methinks the consideration of these things, should
reign over the hearts of men, and command in their spirits, more than
any prince can over the tongues or bodies of men, to cause them to stand
to this covenant. Ye that have taken this covenant, unless ye stand to
it, ye will fall by it. I shall shut up this point with that of the
apostle, "Take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and, when ye have done all, to stand," (Eph.
vi. 13). Stand, and withstand, are the watchword of this covenant, or
the impress of every heart which hath or shall sincerely swear unto it.

For the helping of you to stand to this covenant, I shall cast in a few
advices about your walking in this covenant, or your carriage in it,
which, if followed, I dare say, through the mercy of the Most High, your
persons, these kingdoms, and this cause, shall not miscarry.

1. Walk in holiness and uprightness. When God renewed His covenant with
Abraham, He makes this the preamble of it, "I am the Almighty God, walk
before Me, and be thou perfect, and I will make My covenant between Me
and thee." As this must be a covenant of salt, in regard of
faithfulness; so there must be salt in this covenant, even the salt of
holiness and uprightness. The Jews were commanded in all their offerings
to use salt; and that is called the salt of the covenant, "Every
oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt, neither shalt
thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking." What is
meant by salt on our parts, is taught us by Christ Himself, "Have salt
in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Which I take to be
parallel in sense with that of the apostle, "Follow peace with all men
and holiness." As salt, the shadow of holiness, was called for, in all
those Jewish services; so holiness, the true substantial salt, is called
for in all ours. As then it was charged, "Let not the salt of the
covenant of thy God be lacking:" so now it is charged, "Suffer not the
salt of thy covenant with God and His people to be lacking." Seeing we
have made a covenant of salt, that is, a sure covenant, let us remember
to keep salt in our covenant. Let us add salt to salt, our salt to the
Lord's salt, our salt of holiness to His salt of faithfulness, and we
shall not miscarry.

2. Walk steadily or stedfastly in this covenant. Where the heart is
upright and holy, the feet will be steady. Unstedfastness is a sure
argument of unsoundness, as well as a fruit of it. "Their heart was not
right with Him; neither were they stedfast in His covenant." As if He
had said, would you know the reason why this people were so unstedfast?
It was, because they were so unsound. "Their heart was not right with
Him." We often see the diseases of men's hearts breaking forth at their
lips, and at their finger ends, in all they say or do.

God will be steady to us; why should not we resolve to be so to Him? and
this covenant will be stedfast and uniform unto us, why should not we
resolve to be so too, and in this covenant? The covenant will not be our
friend to-day, and our enemy to-morrow, do us good to-day, and hurt
to-morrow, it will not be the fruitful this year, and barren the next;
but it is our friend to do us good to-day, and ever. It is fruitful and
will be so for ever. We need not let it lie fallow, we cannot take out
the heart of it, tho' we should have occasion to plough it, and sow it
every year. Much less will this covenant be so unstedfast to its own
principles, as to yield us wheat to-day, and cockle to-morrow, an egg
to-day, and to-morrow a scorpion; now bread, and anon a stone; now give
us an embrace, and anon a wound; now help on our peace, and anon embroil
us; now prosper our reformation, and anon oppose, or hinder it;
strengthen us this year, and weaken us the next. No, as it will never be
barren, so it will ever bring forth the same fruit, and that good fruit;
and the more and the longer we use it, the better fruit. Like the
faithful wife, "It will do us good, and not evil, all the days of its
life." It is therefore, not only sinful, but most unsuitable and
uningenuous, for us to be up and down, forward and backward, liking and
disliking, like that double minded man, "Unstable in all our ways,"
respecting the duties of this covenant.

3. Walk believingly, live much in the exercise of faith. As we have no
more good out of the covenant of God, than we have faith in it; so no
more good out of our own, than (in a due sense) we have faith in it.
There is as much need of faith, to improve this covenant, as there is of
faithfulness. We live no more in the sphere of a covenant, than we
believe. And we can make no living out of it but by believing. All our
earnings come in here also, more by our faith, than by our works. Let
not the heart of God be straitened, and His hand shortened by our
unbelief. Where Christ marvelled at the unbelief of a people, consider
what a marvel followed: Omnipotence was as one weak. "He could do no
mighty works among them." Works less than mighty will not reach our
deliverances or procure our mercies. The ancient worthies made more use
of their faith, than to be saved, and get to heaven by it. "By faith the
walls of Jericho fell down. By faith they subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness, (or exercised justice) stopped the mouths of lions. By
faith they quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness they were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to
flight the armies of the aliens." We have Jerichos to reduce, and
kingdoms to subdue, under the sceptre and government of Jesus Christ: we
have justice to execute, and the mouths of lions to stop: we have a
violent fire to quench, a sharp edged sword to escape, Popish alien
armies to fight with; and we (comparatively to these mighty works) are
but weak. How then shall we out of our weakness become strong, strong
enough to carry us through these mighty works, strong enough to escape
these visible dangers? If we walk and work by sense, and not by faith?
And if we could get through all these works and dangers without faith,
we should work but like men, not at all like Christians, but like men in
a politic combination, not in a holy covenant. There's not a stroke of
covenant work (purely so called) can be done without faith. As fire is
to the chemist, so is faith to a covenant people. In that capacity, they
can do nothing for themselves without it; and they have, they can have,
no assurance that God will. Seeing then we are in covenant, we must go
to counsel by faith, and to war by faith; we must pull down by faith,
and build by faith; we must reform by faith, and settle our peace by
faith. Besides, to do a work so solemn and sacred, and then not to
believe and expect no fruit; yea, then to believe and expect answerable
fruit, is a direct taking of God's name in vain, and a mock to Jesus
Christ. And if we mock Christ by calling Him to a covenant, which we
ourselves slight, as a thing we expect little or nothing from: "He will
laugh at our calamity," and "mock when our fear cometh." Wherefore to
close, "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established," no,
not by this sure covenant. But, "believe in the Lord your God, in
covenant, so shall you be established; believe His prophets, so shall
you prosper."

4. Walk cheerfully. So it becomes those that have God so near them.
Such, even in their sorrows, should be like Paul, "As sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing." The (as) notes not a counterfeiting of sorrow, but
the overcoming of sorrow. On this ground David resolves against the fear
of evil, tho' he should see nothing but evil; "Tho' I walk in the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me." In a
covenant, God and man meet; He is with us who is more than all that are
against us: and when He is with us, who can be against us? For then all
things, and all persons, even while (to the utmost of their skill and
power) they set themselves against us, work for us; and should not we
rejoice? If we knew that every loss were our gain, every wound our
healing, every disappointment our success, every defeat our victory,
would we not rejoice? Do but know what it is to be in covenant with God;
and be sad, be hopeless, if you can. It is to have the strength and
counsels of heaven engaged for you; it is to have Him for you, "Whose
foolishness is wiser than men, and whose weakness is stronger than men."
It is to have Him with you, "who doeth according to His will in the army
of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His
hand, or say unto Him, what doest thou?" It is to have Him with you,
"who frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh the diviners mad,
who turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish." It
is to have Him with you, before whom "the nations are as the drop of a
bucket, and as the dust of the balance, who taketh up the isles as a
very little thing." In a word, it is to have Him with you, "who fainteth
not, neither is weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He
giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, He increaseth
strength." This God is our God, our God in covenant; "This is our
beloved and this is our Friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." And shall we
not rejoice? Shall we not walk cheerfully? Tho' there be nothing but
trouble before our eyes, yet our hearts should live in those upper
regions, which are above storms and tempests, above rain and winds,
above the noise and confusions of the world. Why should sorrow sit
clouded in our faces, or any darkness be in our hearts, while we are in
the shine and light of God's countenance? It is said, "That all Judah
rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart:" If we
have sworn heartily, we shall rejoice heartily. And for ever banish base
fears, and killing sorrows from our hearts; and wipe them from our
faces. They, who have unworthy fears in their hearts, give too fair an
evidence that they did not swear with their hearts.

5. Walk humbly and dependently; rejoice, but be not secure. Trust to God
in covenant, not to your covenant. Make not your covenant your Christ;
no, not for this temporal salvation. As a horse trusted to, is a vain
thing to save a man, so likewise is a covenant trusted to; neither can
it deliver a nation by its great strength: tho' indeed the strength of
it be greater than the strength of many horses. "In vain is salvation
hoped for from this hill, or from a multitude of mountains," heaped up
and joined in one by the bond of this covenant. Surely in the Lord our
God, our God in covenant, is the salvation of England. We cannot trust
too much in God, nor too little in the creature; there is nothing breaks
the staff of our help, but our leaning upon it. If we trust in our
covenant, we have not made it with God, but we have made it a god; and
every god of man's making, is an idol, and so nothing in the world: you
see, pride in, or trust to this covenant will make it an idol, and then
in doing all this, we have done nothing; for "an idol is nothing in the
world." And of nothing, comes nothing. By overlooking to the means, we
lose all; and by all our travail shall bring forth nothing but wind: it
will not work any deliverance in the land. Wherefore, "rest not in the
thing done, but get up, and be doing," which is the last point, and my
last motion about your walking in covenant.

6. Walk industriously and diligently in this covenant. You were
counselled before to stand to the covenant, but take heed of standing in
it. Stand, as that is opposed to defection; but if you stand as that is
opposed to action, you are at the next door to falling. A total neglect
is little better than total apostasy.

We have made a perpetual covenant, never to be forgotten, as was shewed
out of the prophet. It is a rule, that words in scripture, which express
only an act of memory, include action and endeavours. When the young man
is warned to "remember his Creator in the days of his youth," he is also
charged to love, and to obey Him. And while we say, this covenant is
never to be forgotten; we mean, the duties of it are ever to be pursued,
and, to the utmost of our power, fulfilled. As soon as it is said that
Josiah made all the people stand to the covenant; the very next words
are, "and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of
God, the God of their fathers." They stood to it, but they did not, like
those, "stand all the day idle;" they fell to work presently. And so let
us. Having laid this foundation, a sure covenant, now let us arise and
build, and let our hands be strong. Do not think that all is done, when
this solemnity is done, It is a sad thing to observe how some, when they
have lifted up their hands, and written down their names, think
presently their work is over. They think, now surely they have satisfied
God and man for they have subscribed the covenant.

I tell you, nay, for when you have done taking the covenant, then your
work begins. When you have done taking the covenant, then you must
proceed to acting the covenant. When an apprentice has subscribed his
name, and sealed his indentures, doth he then think his service is
ended? No, then he knows his service doth begin. It is so here. We are
all sealing the indentures of a sacred and noble apprenticeship to God,
to these churches and commonwealths; let us then go to our work, as
bound, yet free. Free to our work, not from it; free in our work,
working from a principle of holy ingenuity, not of servility, or
constraint. The Lord threatens them with bondage and captivity, who will
not be servants in their covenant, with readiness and activity. "I,
saith the Lord, will give the men that have transgressed My covenant,
which have not performed the words of the covenant, which they had made
before Me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts
thereof; the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the
eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed
between the parts of the calf, I will even give them into the hand of
their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and their
dead bodies shall be meat to the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the
earth." Words that need no rhetoric to press them, nor any comment to
explain them: they are so plain, that every one may understand them; and
so severe, that every one, who either transgresses, or performs not, who
doeth any thing against, or nothing for the words of this covenant, hath
just cause to tremble at the reading of them: I am sure, to feel them
will make him tremble. Seeing then our princes, our magistrates, our
ministers, and our people, have freely consented to, written, and sworn
this covenant; let us all in our several places, be up and doing, that
the Lord may be with us; not sit still and do nothing, and so cause the
Lord to turn against us.

You that are for consultation, go to counsel; you that are for
execution, go on to acting; you that are for exhorting the people in
this work, attend to exhortation; you that are soldiers, draw your
swords; you that have estates, draw your purses; you that have strength
of body, lend your hands; and all you that have honest hearts, lend your
prayers, your cries, your tears, for the prosperous success of this
great work. And the Lord prosper the works of all our hands, the Lord
prosper all our handy-works. _Amen._




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

SERMON AT LONDON.

_BY THOMAS CASE_[13]

"And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of My
covenant."--_Lev._ xxvi. 25.


Since covenant-violation is a matter of so high a quarrel as for the
avenging whereof, God sends a sword upon a church or nation: for which,
it is more than probable, the sword is upon us at this present, it
having almost devoured Ireland already, and eaten up a great part of
England also, let us engage our council, and all the interest we have in
heaven and earth, for the taking up of this controversy; let us consider
what we have to do, what way there is yet left us, for the reconciling
of this quarrel, else we, and our families, are 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
thro' the land, and, in the pursuit of this quarrel, cut off the
remnant, till our land be so desolate, and our cities waste, and
England be made as Sodom and Gomorrah, in the day of the fierce anger of
Jehovah.

Somewhat I have spoken already in the former use, to this purpose viz.
"To acknowledge our iniquities 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. But this
looks backward. Somewhat must be done, _de futuro_: for time to come:
that may not only compose the quarrel, but lay a sure foundation of an
after peace between God and the kingdom. And for that purpose, a mean
lies before us; an opportunity is held forth unto us by the hand of
divine wisdom and goodness, of known use and success among the people of
God in former times; which is yet to me a gracious intimation, and a
farther argument of hope from heaven, that God has not sworn against us
in His wrath, nor sealed us up a people devoted to destruction, but hath
yet a mind 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 terms as shall be propounded to us: and that is, by renewing
our covenant with Him; yea, by entering into a more full and firm
covenant than ever heretofore. For, as the quarrel was raised about the
covenant, so it must be a covenant more solid and substantial, that must
compose the quarrel, as I shall show you hereafter. And that is the
service and the privilege 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; "Come, let us join
ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be
forgotten." It is the voice of the children of Israel, and the children
of Judah, returning out of captivity. "The children of Israel shall
come, they, and the children of Judah together; seeking the Lord," whom
they had lost, and inquiring the way to Zion; from whence their idolatry
and adulteries had cast them out; themselves become now like the doves
of the valley, mourning and weeping, because they had perverted their
way, and forgotten the Lord their God. "Going and weeping they shall go,
and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their
faces thitherward." And if you inquire when this should be? The fourth
verse tells you, in those days. And if you ask again, what days those
are? Interpreters will tell us of a threefold day, wherein this prophecy
or promise is to be fulfilled; that is, the literal or inchoative,
evangelical or spiritual, universal or perfect day.

The first day is a literal or inchoative day, here prophesied of, and
that is already past, past long since; viz., in that day wherein the
seventy years of the Babylonian captivity expired; then was this
prophecy 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, kept a solemn fast at the river "Ahava, to afflict their
souls before their God." There may you see them going and weeping, "to
seek of Him a right way for them, and their little ones." There you have
them seeking the Lord, and inquiring the way to Zion 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 Shechaniah
spake unto Ezra, the princes, and the people, "We have sinned against
the Lord, ... yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now
therefore let us make a covenant with our God." And so you may find the
Levites calling the people to confess their sins with weeping and
supplications, in a day of humiliation, and at the end of it, to write,
and swear, and seal a covenant with "the Lord their God." This was the
first day wherein this prophecy began to be fulfilled, in the very
letter thereof.

The second day is the evangelical day, wherein this promise is fulfilled
in a gospel or spiritual sense; namely, when the elect of God, of what
nation or language soever, being all called the Israel of God, as is
prophesied, "One shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall call
himself by the name of Jacob, ... and surname himself by the name of
Israel." I say, when these in their several generations and successions
shall turn to the Lord their God, either from their Gentilism and
paganism, as in their first conversion to Christianity; as Tertullian
observes after the resurrection of Christ, and the mission of the Holy
Ghost; _Aspice exinde universas nationes ex veragine erroris humani
emergentes ad Dominum Deum, et ad Dominum Christum ejus_. From that day
forward, you might behold poor creatures of all nations and languages,
creeping out of their dark holes and corners of blindness and idolatry,
and betaking them to God and His Son Jesus Christ, as to their Law-giver
and Saviour; or else turning from Antichristian superstition, and false
ways 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
Zion, _i.e._, the pure way of gospel worship, according to the fuller
and clearer manifestations and revelations of the mind of Christ in the
gospel. This was fulfilled in Luther's time, and in all those after
separations which any of the churches have made from Rome, and from
those relics and remains of superstition and will-worship, wherewith
themselves and the ordinances of Jesus Christ have been denied.

The third day wherein this prophecy or promise is to be made good, is
that universal day, wherein both Jew and Gentile shall be converted
unto the Lord. That day of the restitution of all things, as some good
divines conceive when "ten men out of all languages of the nations,
shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go
with you; for we have heard that God is with you." And to what purpose
is more fully expressed in the former verses, answering the prophecy in
the text. "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, it shall come to pass, that
there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: and the
inhabitants of one city 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.
Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts
in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord."

This I call the universal day, because, as you see, there shall be such
an abundance of confluence of cities, and people, and nations, combining
together in an holy league and covenant, to seek the Lord. And a perfect
day, because the mind 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, and
punctual model of the government of Christ in the churches, shall then
be let down from Heaven. "The light of the moon being then to be as the
light of the sun, and the light of the sun sevenfold, as the light of
seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His
people, and healeth the stroke of their wound."

By what hath been spoken, you may perceive under which of these days we
are: past indeed the first, but not yet arrived at the third day; and
therefore under the second day, that evangelical day; yet so, as if all
the three days were met together in ours, while it seems to me, that we
are upon the dawning of the third day: and this prophecy falling so pat,
and full upon our times, as if we were not got beyond the literal; a
little variation will do it. The children of Israel, and the children
of Judah: Scotland and England, newly coming out of Babylon,
antichristian Babylon, papal tyranny and usurpations, in one degree or
other, going and weeping in the days of their solemn humiliations,
bewailing their backslidings and rebellions, to seek the Lord their God,
to seek pardon and reconciliation, to seek His face and favour, not only
in the continuance, but in the more full and sweet influential
manifestations of His presence among them; and to that end, asking the
way to Zion with their faces thitherward; that is, inquiring after the
pure way of gospel worship, with full purpose of heart; that when God
shall reveal His mind to them, they will conform themselves to His mind
according to that blessed prophecy and promise, "He will teach us of His
ways, and we will walk in His paths." And that they may make all sure,
that they may secure God and themselves against all future apostasies
and backslidings, calling one upon another, and echoing back one to
another: "Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant that shall not be forgotten."

You see by this time I have changed my text, tho' 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 only to improve the happy advantages it holds forth,
for the pursuit and driving on of my present use of exhortation. Come,
let us join. To this end therefore, from these words, I will propound
and endeavour to satisfy these three queries, 1. What? 2. Why? 3. How?

I. What the duty is, to which they mutually stir up one another?

II. Why, or upon what considerations?

III. 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. What the duty is?

_Answ._ You see that in the text; it is to join themselves to the Lord,
by a solemn covenant; and so is that which we have now in our hands, to
join ourselves to the Lord by a covenant; how far they correspond, will
appear in the sequel. This is the first and main end of a covenant
between God and His people, as I have shewed you, "to join themselves to
the Lord. The sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord, and
take hold 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 inquire the way to Zion,
_i.e._, to inquire the way and manner, how God would be worshipped; that
they might dishonour and provoke 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 Jeroboam's
and Ahab's reigns, and for which they had been carried into captivity.

And such is the covenant that lies before us: in the first place, as I
say, to join ourselves to the Lord, to be knit inseparably 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 Zion; to inquire and search
by all holy means, sanctified to that purpose, what is that pure way of
gospel worship; that we and our children after us may worship the God of
spirits, the God of truth, in spirit, and in truth. In spirit opposed to
carnal ways of will-worship, and inventions of men; and in truth,
opposed to false hypocritical shews and pretences, since the Father
seeks such to worship Him.

Now, that this is the main scope and aim of this covenant before us,
will appear, if you read and ponder it with due consideration; 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 material objections, which seem to
make it inconsistent with these blessed ends and purposes. Attend
diligently while I read it to you.

(The covenant was then read.)

This brethren, is the covenant before us; to which God and His
parliament do invite us this day; wherein the ends propounded lie fair
to every impartial eye.

The first article in this covenant, binding us to the reformation of
religion; and the last article, to the reformation of our lives. In
both, we join ourselves to the Lord, and swear to ask and receive from
His lips the law of this reformation. Truly, this is a why, as well as a
what, (that I may a little prevent myself) a motive of the first
magnitude. Oh! for a people or person to be joined unto the Lord; to be
made one with the most high God of heaven and earth, before whom and to
whom we swear, is a privilege of unspeakable worth and excellency.
"Seemeth it (said David once to Saul's servants) a small thing in your
eyes, to be son-in-law to a king," seeing I am a poor man? Seemeth it,
may I say, a small thing to you, for poor creatures to be joined, and
married, as it were, to the great God, the living God; who are so much
worse than nothing, by how much sin is worse than vanity? yea, to be one
with Him as Christ saith in that heavenly prayer of His; as He and His
Father are one. "That they may be one, as Thou Father art in Me, and I
in Thee; that they also may be one in us." And again, "that they may be
one, even as we are one." Yea, perfect in one; not indeed, in the
perfection of that unity, but in unity 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. You may
read the place at your leisure. But, against this blessed service and
truth, are there mustered and led up an whole regiment of objections,
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 only with some of the chief commanders of
them, if they be conquered the rest will vanish of their own accord.


OBJECTIONS PROPOUNDED AND ANSWERED.

_Object._ 1. If this were the end of this service, yet it were needless:
since we have done it over and over again, in our former protestations
and covenants; and so this repetition may seem to be a profanation of so
holy an ordinance, by making of it so ordinary, and nothing else, but a
taking of God's name in vain. To this I answer.

_Answ._ 1. It cannot be done too oft; if it be done according to the law
and order of so solemn an ordinance. 2. The people in the text might
have made the same objection; it lay as strong against the work, to
which they encourage one another: for surely, this was not the first
time they engaged themselves to God by way of covenant; but having
broken their former covenants, they thought it their privilege, and not
their burden to renew it again, and to make it more full, stable, and
impregnable than ever; "a perpetual covenant that shall not be
forgotten"; which hints 3. And that is, there was never yet so full and
strict a covenant tendered to us since we were a people. Former
covenants have had their defect and failings, like the best of God's
people: but I may say of this in reference to other covenants, as
Solomon of his good house-wife, in reference to other women; "Other
daughters have done well, but thou hast exceeded them all." Other
covenants have done well, but this hath exceeded them all; like Paul
among the apostles, it goes beyond them all, though it seems to be born
out of due time. Now, if your leases and covenants among men be either
lame or forfeited; need men persuade you to have them renewed and
perfected? Of how much greater concernment is this, between God and us,
O! ye of little faith? 4. You receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper
once a month, and some will not be kept off, tho' they have no part, nor
portion in that mystery, say the ministers of Christ what they can; and
the sacrament is but the seal of the covenant; consider it, and be
convinced.

_Object._ 2. But secondly, it is objected there be some clauses in this
covenant, that serve rather to divide us farther from God, than join us
nearer to Him; as binding us to inquire the way to Zion of men rather
than of God; to receive the law of reformation from Scotland, and other
churches, and not from the lips of the great prophet of the churches.

In the article, we swear first to maintain the religion, as it is
already reformed in Scotland, in doctrine, government, and discipline;
wherein, first, the most shall swear they know not what; and secondly,
we swear to conform ourselves here in England, to their government and
discipline in Scotland which is presbyterial, and for ought we know, as
much tyrannical, and more antichristian than that of prelacy, which we
swear to extirpate; yea, some have not been afraid to call it the
Antichrist that is now in the world.

_Answ._ 1. To whom I first answer, beseeching them in the bowels of
compassion, and spirit of meekness, to take heed of such rash and
unchristian censures, least God hear, and it displease Him; and they
themselves possibly be found to commit the sin and incur the woe of them
that "call evil good, and good evil." 2. Whereas they object that many
shall swear they know not what, the most being totally ignorant of the
discipline of Scotland, and very few understanding it distinctly. I
would have these remember and consider two examples in Scripture the one
of king Josiah, the other of the women and children in Nehemiah's time.
Josiah (as the text tells us) not being above eight years of age, "While
he was yet young, began to seek after the Lord God of David his father;
and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem." And this
purging and reformation he did by covenant, wherein he swore, to "walk
after the Lord, and to keep His commandments, and His testimonies, and
His statutes." Which surely, at that age, we cannot conceive he did
distinctly and universally understand; no more could all the men, their
wives and their sons, and their daughters, that took the covenant (in
Nehemiah's time) understand all things in particular to which that
covenant did bind them; since they did enter into a curse, and an oath,
not only to refuse all intermarriages with the heathen, but also to walk
in God's law, which was given by Moses, and to observe and do all the
commandments of the Lord, and His judgments, and His statutes.

Surely there were in this multitude, not an inconsiderable number that
were not acquainted with all the moral precepts, judicial laws, and
ceremonial statutes, which God commanded the people by the hand of
Moses.

There be two things I know, that may be replied against these instances.
1. That of those women and children in Nehemiah, it is said in the same
place, they were of understanding, "Every one having knowledge, and
having understanding; they clave unto their brethren, their nobles, and
entered into a curse." 2. That there is a great difference between the
laws and statutes to which they swore, and this government and
discipline to which we swear in this covenant. Those laws and statutes
were ordained immediately of God Himself; and therefore being infallibly
right, unquestionably holy, and just, and good, Josiah and the people
might lawfully swear observance to them with an implicit faith; but not
so in a government and discipline set up by man, by a church, be it
never so pure and holy: for their light being but a borrowed light, and
they not privileged with an infallible Spirit (as the apostles) their
resolutions and ordinances may be liable to mistake and error; and
therefore, to swear observance to them by an implicit faith, is more
than comes to their share, and as unwarrantable as it is unsafe for a
people or person to do, who are yet ignorant or unsatisfied in the
whole, or in any particular.

To these objections I rejoin: _first_, that that description of the
covenanters in Nehemiah, that "they were of understanding, and
knowledge," supposeth not a distinct actual cognizance of every
particular ordinance, judgment, statute, and provision, in all the three
laws, moral, judicial, ceremonial, in every one that took the covenant;
that being not only needless but impossible; but it implies only a
capacity to receive instruction and information in the things they swore
unto, tho' at present they were ignorant of many of the severals
contained in that oath. And so far this rule obtains among us; children
that are not yet come to understanding, and fools, being not admitted to
this service, as not capable of instruction.

_Answ._ 2. To the second (tho' more considerable) yet the answer is not
very difficult: for,

_First_, We do not swear to observe that discipline, but to preserve it:
I may preserve that, which in point of conscience I cannot observe, or
not, at least, swear to observe. _Second_, We swear to preserve it, not
in opposition to any other form of government that may be found
agreeable to the Word, but in opposition against a common enemy, which
is a clause of so wide a latitude, and easy a digestion, as the
tenderest conscience need not kick at it; this preservation relating not
so much to the government, as to the persons or nation under this
government; not so much to preserve it as to preserve them in it,
against a prelatical party at home, or a popish party abroad, that
should attempt by violence to destroy them, or to force another
government upon them, that should be against the Word of God; under
which latitude, I see not but we might enter into the like covenant with
Lutherans, or other reformed churches, whose government, discipline, and
worship, is yet exceedingly corrupted with degenerate mixtures.

_Third_, Neither in the preservation of their government, nor in the
reformation of ours, do we swear to any thing of man's; but to what
shall be found to be the mind of Christ. Witness that clause, article 1:
"According to the word of God:" so that upon the matter, it is no more
than Josiah and the people in Nehemiah swore to; namely, "what shall
appear to be the statutes and laws which Christ hath left in His Word,
concerning the regimen of His church?"

_Fourth_, Nay, not so much; for we are not yet called to swear the
observation of any kind of government, that is or shall be presented to
us, but to endeavour the reformation of religion in doctrine, worship,
discipline, and government, according to the Word of God.

In the faithful and impartial search and pursuit whereof, if Scotland,
or any of the reformed churches, can hold us forth any clearer light
than our own, we receive it not as our rule, but as such an help to
expound our rule, as Christ Himself hath allowed us. In which case, we
are bound to kiss not the lips only, but the very feet of them that
shall be able to shew us "the way to Zion."

So that still, it is not the voice of the churches but of Christ in the
churches, that we covenant to listen to, in this pursuit; that is to
say, that we will follow them, as they follow Christ: and when all is
done, and a reformation (through the assistance and blessing of the Lord
Jesus Christ, that great king and prophet of His church) resolved on
according to this rule thus interpreted, under what notion or obligation
the observation of it shall be commended to us, _sub judice lis est_,
it is yet in the bosom and breast of authority; we are as yet called to
swear to nothing in this kind. So much in reference to the instances.

_Answ._ 3. I answer further to the satisfying of this second doubt, that
by this covenant, we are bound no more to conform to Scotland, than
Scotland to us: the stipulation being mutual, and this stipulation
binding us not so much to conform one to another, as both of us to the
Word; wherein, if we can meet, who would not look upon it, as upon the
precious fruit of Christ's prayer: "That they might be one, as we are
one?" and the beauty and safety of both nations, and of as many of the
churches as the Lord our God shall persuade to come into this holy and
blessed association?

_Object._ 3. A third objection falls upon the second article or branch
of this covenant; wherein it is feared by some, that we swear to
extirpate that which, for ought we know, upon due inquiry, may be found
the way to Zion, the way of evangelical government, which Christ and His
apostles have set up in the church.

_Answ._ Where lies that, think you? In what clause or word of the
article? Who can tell? Surely not in popery; or if there be any that
think that the way, I would wish their persons in Rome, since their
hearts are there already. Is it in superstition? Nay, superstition
properly consisteth in will-worship, "teaching for doctrine the
traditions of men;" this cannot be the way to Zion, which Christ hath
chalked out to us in His word. No more can heresy, which is the
opposition to sound doctrine; nor schism, which is the rent of the
church's peace; nor profaneness, the poison of her conversation. None
but superstitious heretics, schismatics, profane persons, will call
these the way to Zion; nor these neither, under the name and notion of
superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness; for the heretic will not call
his doctrine heresy; nor the superstitious, his innovation superstition;
nor the schismatic, his turbulent practices schism; nor lastly, the
profane person, his lewdness profaneness; tho' they love the thing, they
hate the name.

And this, before we go further, occasions another objection, which you
must give me leave both to make and answer in a parenthesis, and then I
will return.

_Object._ How can we swear the extirpation of these, since, who shall be
judge? While some will be ready to call that schism and superstition,
which is not; and others deny that to be heresy, superstition, schism,
which is?

_Answ._ 1. To which I answer, By the same argument, we ought not to
covenant against popery and drunkenness, sabbath-breaking, nor any other
sin whatsoever, there being nothing so gross but it will find some
friends to justify, and plead for it; which if we shall not condemn till
all parties be agreed on the verdict, we shall never proceed to
judgment, while the world stands. 2. The word must be the rule and the
judge, say men what they please, _pro_ or _con_. 3. And if the matter be
indeed so disputable, that it lies not in my faculty to pronounce
sentence, I have my dispensation to suspend, till the world determine
the controversy.

I now return; if then in none of these, the doubt must of necessity lie
in that word prelacy. And is that indeed the way of gospel government?
Is that it indeed which bears away the bell of _jure divino_? What is it
then that hath destroyed all gospel order, and government and worship,
in these kingdoms, as in other places of the Christian world, even down
to the ground? Hath it not been prelacy? What is it that hath taken down
a teaching ministry, and set up in the room a teaching-ceremony? Is it
not prelacy? What is it that hath silenced, suspended, imprisoned,
deprived, banished, so many godly, learned, able ministers of the
gospel; yea, and killed some of them with their unheard of cruelties,
and thrust into their places idol, idle shepherds; dumb dogs that
cannot bark (unless it were at the flock of Christ; so they learned of
their masters, both to bark and bite too) greedy dogs that could never
have enough, that did tear out the loins and bowels of their own people
for gain, heap living upon living, preferment upon preferment; swearing,
drunken, unclean priests, that taught nothing but rebellion in Israel,
and caused people to abhor the sacrifice of the Lord: Arminian, popish,
idolatrous, vile wretches, such as, had Job been alive, he would not
have set with the dogs of his flock; who, I say, brought in these? Did
not prelacy? What hath hindered the reformation of religion all this
while in doctrine, government, and worship? Prelacy, a generation of men
they were, that never had a vote for Jesus Christ; yea, what hath
poisoned and adulterated religion in all these branches, and hath let in
popery and profaneness upon the kingdom like a flood, for the raising of
their own pomp and greatness, but prelacy? In a word, prelacy it is,
that hath set its impure and imperious feet, one upon the church, the
other upon the state, and hath made both serve as Pharaoh did the
Israelites, with rigour. Surely, their government hath been a yoke which
neither we nor our fathers were able to bear.

Now, that which hath done this, and a thousand times more violence and
mischief to Christ and His people, than the tongue or pen of man is able
to express; can that be the way of or to Zion? Can that be the
government of Christ and His Church?

_Object._ Aye, but there be that will tell us, these have been the
faults of the persons, and not of the calling?

_Answ._ 1. So cry some indeed, that ye like the men, as well as their
calling, and would justify the persons as well as the office, but that
their wickedness is made so manifest that impudency itself cannot deny
it. But is it indeed only the fault of the men, not of the calling? What
meant then that saying of queen Elizabeth, "That when she had made a
bishop, she had spoiled a preacher?" Was it only a jest? 2. And I wish
we had not too just cause to add, the man too. Surely of the most of
them we may say, as once Arnobius spake of the Gentiles, _apud vos
optimi censentur quos comparatio pessimorum sic facit_. Give me leave to
vary it a little: he was a good bishop, that was not the worst man; but
if there were some of a better complexion, who yet, _apparent rari
nantes in gurgite vasto_, were very rarely discovered in their episcopal
see; yet, 3. Look into their families, and they were for the most part
the vilest in the diocese, a very nest of unclean birds; and, 4. If you
had looked into their courts and consistories, you would have thought
you had been in Caiaphas' hall, where no other trade was driven but the
crucifying of Christ in His members. 5. But fifthly, produce me one in
this last succession of bishops (I hope the last) that had not his hands
imbrued more or less in the blood of the faithful ministry, (I say not
ministers, but ministry) produce a man amongst them all, that durst be
so conscientious as to lay down his bishoprick, rather than he would lay
violent hands upon a non-conforming minister, though he had failed but
in one point of their compass of ceremonies, when their great master,
the pope of Canterbury, commanded it, although both for life, learning,
and orthodox religion, their consciences did compel them to confess with
Pilate, "we find no fault in this just person." I say, produce me such a
bishop amongst the whole bunch, in this latter age, and I will down on
my knees, and ask them forgiveness. Oh! it was sure a mischievous
poisoned soil, in which, whatsoever plant was set did hardly ever thrive
after. 5. But yet further, was not the calling as bad as the men? You
may as well say so of the papacy in Rome, for surely the prelacy of
England, which we swore to extirpate, was the very same fabric and model
of ecclesiastical regimen, that is in that Antichristian world; yea,
such an evil it is that some divines, venerable for their great
learning, as well as for their eminent holiness, did conceive sole
episcopal jurisdiction to be the very seat of the beast, upon which the
fifth angel is now pouring out his vial, which is the reason that the
men of that kingdom "gnaw their tongues for pain, and blaspheme the God
of heaven."

_Object._ Aye, but it is therefore pleaded further against this clause,
that although it may be prelacy with all its adjuncts and accidents of
archbishops, chancellors, and commissaries, deans, &c., may have haply
been the cause of these evils that have broken in upon us, and perhaps
Antichristian; yet should we therefore swear the extirpation of all
prelacy, or episcopacy whatsoever; since there may be found perhaps in
scripture an episcopacy or prelacy, which, circumcised from these
exuberant members and officers, may be that government Christ hath
bequeathed His church in the time of the gospel?

_Answ._ Now we shall quickly close this business. For, 1. It is this
prelacy, thus clothed, thus circumstanced, which we swear to extirpate;
read else the clause again, prelacy, that is, church government by
archbishops, bishops, their chancellors. Not every, or all kinds of
prelacy; not prelacy in the latitude of the notion thereof. 2. And
secondly, let us join issue upon this point, and make no more words of
it; if there be an episcopacy or prelacy found in the Word, as the way
of gospel-government, which Christ hath bequeathed the churches, and
this be made appear, we are so far from swearing to extirpate such a
prelacy, as that rather we are bound by virtue of this oath to entertain
it, as the mind and will of Jesus Christ. And this might suffice to
warrant our covenanting to extirpate this prelacy, save that only.

Yet some seem conscientiously to scruple this in the last place.
_Object._ That they see not what there is to warrant our swearing, to
extirpate that which is established by the law of the land, till the
same law have abolished it. To which I answer, 1. If the law of the land
had abolished it, we need not swear the extirpation of it. 2. In this
oath, the parliaments of both kingdoms go before us, who, having the
legislative power in their hands, have also _potestatem vitę et necis_,
over laws, as well as over persons, and may as well put to death the
evil laws that do offend against the kingdom and the welfare of it, as
the evil persons that do offend against the laws. 3. Who therefore,
thirdly, if they may lawfully annul and abolish laws that are found to
sin against the law of God, and the good of the kingdom may as lawfully
bind themselves by an oath, to use the uttermost of their endeavours to
annul and abolish those laws; their oath being nothing else but a solemn
engagement to endeavour to perform what they have warrantably resolved
upon; and with the same equity may they bind the kingdom to assist them
in so doing. 4. Which is all that the people are engaged to by this
covenant. Not to outrun the parliament in this extirpation, but to
follow and serve them in it, by such concurrence as they may expect from
each person in their stations and callings; for that clause, expressed
in the first and third article, is to be understood in all.

_Object._ If it be yet objected, that the members of parliament have, at
one time or other, sworn to preserve the laws; and therefore to swear to
endeavour the extirpation of prelacy, which is established by law, is to
contradict their own oath and run the hazard of perjury: it is easy for
any one to observe and answer. 1. That by the same argument, neither may
king and parliament together change or annul a law, though found
destructive to the good of the kingdoms, since his majesty, as well as
his subjects, are bound up under the same oath at his coronation. 2. But
again, there is a vast difference between the members of parliament,
simply considered in their private capacities, wherein they may be
supposed to take an oath to maintain the laws of the land; and that
public capacity of a parliament, whereby they are judges of those laws,
and may, as I said before, endeavour the removal of such as are found
pernicious to the church or state, and make such as will advantage the
welfare of others; his majesty being bound by his coronation-oath, to
confirm these laws, which the commons shall agree upon and present unto
his majesty.

_Object._ Aye, but it seems this objection lies full and strong upon
them that stand in their single private stations. I answer, that if
there be any such oath, which yet I have never seen nor heard of, unless
the objection mean that clause in the late parliament protestation,
wherein we vow and protest to maintain and defend the lawful rights and
liberties of the subject; surely, neither in that nor this, do we swear
against a lawful endeavour to get any such laws or clause of the law
repealed and abolished, which is found a wrong, rather than a right, and
the bondage, rather than the liberty of the subject, as prelacy was. Had
we indeed taken the bishop's oath, or the like, never to have given our
consent to have the government by episcopacy changed or altered, we had
brought ourselves into a woful snare; but, blessed be God, that snare is
broken, and we are escaped; while, in the mean time without all doubt,
the subject may as lawfully use all lawful means to get that law
removed, which yet he hath promised or sworn to obey, while it remains,
when it proves prejudicial to the public safety and welfare; as a poor
captive, that hath peradventure sworn obedience to the Turk, (while he
remains in his possession) may notwithstanding use all fair endeavours
for an escape or ransom. Or a prentice that is bound to obey his master;
yet, when he finds his service turned into a bondage, may use lawful
means to obtain his freedom.

But once more to answer both objections; it is worth your inquiry,
whether the plea of a legal establishment of this prelacy, sworn against
in this covenant, be not rather a tradition, than any certain or
confessed truth. Sure I am, we have it from the hands of persons of
worth and honour; the ablest secretaries of laws and antiquities in our
kingdom, that there is no such law or statute to be found upon the file,
among our records. Which assertion, if it cannot find faith, we will
once more join issue with the patrons or followers of this prelacy, upon
this point, that when they produce that law or statute which doth enact
and establish prelacy, as it is here branched in the article, we will
then give them a fuller answer, or yield the question.

To conclude therefore, since this prelacy in the article, this many
headed monster of archbishops, bishops, their chancellors and
commissaries, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons, and all other
ecclesiastical officers depending on that hierarchy, is the beast,
wherewith we fight in this covenant, which hath been found so
destructive to church and state; let us not fear to take this sword of
the covenant of God into our hands, and say to this enemy of Christ, as
Samuel said once to Agag, (at what time he said within himself, "surely
the bitterness of death is past") "As thy sword hath made women
childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women." So hath
prelacy flattered itself, finding such a party to stand up on its side
among the rotten lords and commons, the debauched gentry, and abased
people of the kingdom: "Surely the bitterness of death is past." "I sit
as a queen, and shall not know widow-hood, or loss of children." In the
midst of this security and pride, the infallible forerunners of her
downfall, let us call her forth, and say, as thy sword, prelacy, hath
made many women childless, many a faithful minister peopleless,
houseless and libertyless, their wives husbandless, their children and
their congregations fatherless, and pastorless, and guideless; so thy
mother, papacy, shall be made childless among harlots, your diocese
bishopless, and your sees lordless, and your places shall know you no
more. Come, my brethren, I say, and fear not to take this Agag,
(prelacy, I mean, not the prelates) and hew it in pieces before the
Lord.

_Object._ 4. A fourth and main objection that troubles many, is, that in
the following article there are divers things of another nature that
should fall within the compass of such a covenant, as that which the
text holds forth, "to join ourselves to the Lord." There be
state-matters, and such too, as are full of doubt, and perhaps of
danger, to be sworn unto. I shall answer, first, the general charge, and
then some of the particulars which are most material. In general, I
answer, there is nothing in the body of this covenant which is not
either purely religious, or which lies not in a tendency to religion,
conducing to the securing and promoting thereof. And as, in the
expounding the commandments, divines take this rule, that that command
which forbids a sin, forbids also all the conducibles and provocations
to that sin, all the tendencies to it: and that command which enjoins a
duty, enjoins all the mediums and advancers to that duty; circumstances
fall within the latitude of the command: so in religious covenants, not
only those things which are of the substance and integrals of religion,
but even the collaterals and subserviences that tend either to the
establishing or advancing of religion, may justly be admitted within the
verge and pale of the covenant. The cities of refuge had their suburbs
appointed by God, as well as their habitations, and even they also were
counted holy. The rights and privileges of the parliaments, and the
liberties of the kingdom, mentioned in the third article; they are the
suburbs of the gospel, and an inheritance bequeathed by God to nations
and kingdoms, and, under that notion, holy. Concerning which a people
may lawfully reply to the unjust demands of emperors, kings, or states,
as Naboth once to Ahab, when demanded to yield up his vineyard to his
majesty: "God forbid, that I should give the inheritance of my father."
These be the outworks of religion, the lines of communication, as I may
so say, for the defence of this city; which the prelates well knew, and
therefore you see, it was their great design first, by policy to have
surprised, and, when that would not do, then, by main strength of
battle, to storm these outworks: well knowing, that if they once had won
these, they should quickly be masters also of the holy city, religion
itself, and do what they listed. And, therefore, the securing of these
must of necessity be taken into the same councils and covenant with
religion itself.

This premised in general, we shall easily and apace satisfy the
particular scruples and queries as I go.

1. _Scruple._ The most part that swear this covenant are in a great
degree, if not totally, ignorant what the rights and privileges of the
parliament, and the liberties of the kingdoms are, and how can they then
swear to maintain they know not what?

1. By the same argument no man, or very few, might lawfully swear to
maintain the king's prerogatives in the paths of allegiance and
supremacy; nor the king himself swear to maintain the liberties of the
subject, as he doth in his oath at his coronation. 2. But there is
hardly any person so ignorant but knows there are privileges belonging
to the parliaments, and liberties belonging to the subject. 3. And that
it is the duty of every subject, according to his place and power, to
maintain these; so that, in taking of this covenant, we swear to do no
more than our duty binds us to; in which there is no danger, tho' we do
not in every point know how far that duty extends in every branch and
several thereof. 4. In swearing to do my duty, whether to God or man, if
I be ignorant of many particulars, I oblige myself to these two things.
1. To use the best means to inform myself of the particulars. 2. To
conform myself to what I am informed to be my duty. Which yet, in the
case in hand, doth admit of a further latitude, namely, that which lies
in the very word and letter of this article (as in most of the rest) in
our several vocations; which doth not bind every one to the same degree
of knowledge, nor the same way of preservation: as for example, I do not
conceive every magistrate is bound to know so much, no, nor to endeavour
to know so much, as parliament-men; nor every member of parliament so
much as judges; nor ministers so much as the lawyers; nor ordinary
people so much as ministers; nor servants so much as masters; nor all to
preserve them the same way; parliament-men by demanding them, lawyers by
pleading, judges by giving the sense and mind of the law, ministers by
preaching, magistrates by defending, people by assisting, praying,
yielding obedience. All, if the exigencies arise so high, and the state
call for it, by engaging their estates and lives, in case they be
invaded by an unlawful power. And in case of ignorance, the thing we
bind ourselves to is this, that if at any time any particular shall be
in question, what the parliament shall make appear to be their right or
the liberty of the subject, we promise to contribute such assistance for
the preservation or reparation thereof, as the nature of the thing, and
wisdom of the state shall call for at our hands, in our several places.

2. _Scruple._ But some are offended, while they conceive in the same
article, that the clause wherein we swear the preservation and defence
of the king's person and authority, doth lie under some restraint, by
that limitation; in the preservation and defence of the true religion,
and the liberties of the kingdom. To which we reply. 1. It maintains him
as far as he is a king: he may be a man, but sure no king, without the
lists and verge of religion and laws, it being religion and laws that
make him a king. 2. It maintains his person and estate, as far as his
majesty himself doth desire and expect to be defended; for, sure his
justice cannot desire to be defended against, but in the preservation of
religion and laws; and his wisdom cannot expect it, since he cannot
believe that they will make conscience of defending his person, who make
no conscience of preserving religion and the laws; I mean, when the ruin
of his person and authority may advance their own cursed designs. They
that, for their ends, will defend his person and authority against
religion and liberties of the kingdom, will with the same conscience
defend their own ends against his person and authority, when they have
power in their hands. The Lord deliver his majesty from such defenders,
by what names or titles soever they be called. 3. Who doubts but that
religion and laws, (wherein the rights and liberties of kingdoms are
bound up) are the best security of the persons and authority of kings
and governors? And the while kings will defend these, these will defend
kings? It being impossible that princes should suffer violence or
indignity, while they are within the munition of religion and laws; or
if the prince suffer, these must of necessity suffer with him. 4. I make
a question, whether this limitation lie any more upon the defence of the
king's person and authority, than it doth upon the rights and privileges
of parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdom, since there is no
point or stop in the article to appropriate it more to the defence of
the king's person and authority, than to the preservation of the rights
and privileges of the parliaments, and the liberties of the kingdoms? 5.
And lastly, this clause is not to be understood exclusive, as excluding
all other cases wherein the kingdoms stand bound to preserve his
majesty's person and authority, but only as expressing that case wherein
the safety of his person and authority doth most highly concern both
king and kingdoms, especially at such a time as this is, when both are
so furiously and implacably encountered by a malignant army of
desperate parricides, papists, and their prelatical party.

These objections answered, and difficulties removed, we proceed to the
examining of the rest of the particulars, in the following articles.

The discovery of incendiaries or malignants that have been, or shall be,
to which the fourth article binds us: doth it not lie also in a
necessary tendency to the securing and preserving of this covenant
inviolable with the most high God, in point of reformation? For can we
hope a thorough reformation, according to the mind of Christ, if
opposers of reformation may escape scot-free, undiscovered and
unpunished? Or, can we indeed love or promote a reformation, and in the
mean time countenance or conceal the enemies of it? This is clear, yet
it wants not a scruple, and that peradventure which may trouble a
sincere heart.

_Object._ It is this, having once taken this oath, if we hear a friend,
or brother, yea, perhaps a father, a husband, or a wife, let fall a word
of dislike of the parliament, or assembly's proceedings in either
kingdom; or that discovers another judgment, or opinion; or a word of
passion unadvisedly uttered, and do not presently discover and complain
of it, we pull upon ourselves the guilt or danger of perjury, which will
be a mighty snare to thousands of well affected people.

To which I answer. 1. The objection lays the case much more narrow than
the words of the article, which distinguisheth the incendiary or
malignant, which is to be discovered by a threefold character, or note
of malignity. _First_, Hindering the reformation of religion.
_Secondly_, Dividing the king from his people, or one kingdom from
another. _Thirdly_, Making any faction or parties amongst the people,
contrary to the league and covenant. Now, every dislike of some passage
in parliament or assembly's proceedings; every dissent in judgment and
opinion; every rash word or censure, that may possibly be let fall
through passion and inadvertency, will not amount to so high a degree of
malignity as is here expressed, nor consequently bring one within the
compass of this oath and covenant. A suitable and seasonable caution or
conviction may suffice in such a case.

2. But, suppose the malignity to arise to that height here expressed in
any of the branches thereof; I do not conceive the first work this oath
of God binds us to, is to make a judicial discovery thereof; while,
without controversy, our Saviour's rule of dealing with our brethren in
cases of offence is not here excluded; which is, 1. To see what personal
admonition will do; which, toward a superior, as husband, parent,
master, or the like, must be managed with all wisdom and reverence. If
they hear us, we have made a good day's work of it; we have gained our
brother; if not, then the rule directs us yet. 2. In the second place,
to take with us two or three more; if they do the deed, thou mayest sit
down with peace and thankfulness. 3. If, after all this, the party shall
persist in destructive practices to hinder reformation, to divide the
king from his people, or one kingdom from another; or lastly, to make
factions or parties among the people; be it the man of thine house, the
husband of thy youth, the wife of thy bosom, the son of thy loins: "Levi
must know neither father nor mother," private relations must give way to
public safety; thou must with all faithfulness endeavour the discovery,
thine "eye must not pity nor spare." It is a case long since stated by
God Himself; and when complaint is made to any person in authority, the
plaintiff is discharged, and the matter rests upon the hands of
authority. Provided, notwithstanding, that there be, in the use of all
the former means, that latitude allowed which the apostle gives in case
of heresy; "A first and second admonition." This course, not only the
rule of our Saviour in general, but the very words of the covenant
itself, doth allow, for, though the clause be placed in the sixth
article, yet it hath reference to all, viz., "What we are not able
ourselves to suppress or overcome, we shall reveal and make known." So
that, if the malignity fall within our own or our friends' ability to
conquer, we have discharged our duty to God and the kingdoms, and may
sit down with comfort in our bosoms.

That which remains in the other two articles, I cannot see how it
affords any occasion of an objection; and the reference it hath to the
reformation and preservation of religion, is easy and clear to any eye,
that is not wilfully blind; the preservation of peace between the two
kingdoms, in the fifth article, being the pillar of religion; for how
can religion and reformation stand, if any blind malignant Samson be
suffered to pull down the pillars of peace and union? Besides, it was a
branch of that very covenant in the text, as well as of that in our
hands. The children of Israel and Judah, which had a long time been
disunited, and in that disunion had many bloody and mortal skirmishes
and battles, now at length by the good hand of God upon them, take
counsel to join themselves, first one to another, and then both unto
God. Let us "join ourselves," and then to "the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant." Surely, not only this copy in the text, but the wormwood and
the gall of our civil combustions and wars, which our souls may have in
remembrance to our dying day, and be humbled within us, may powerfully
persuade us to a cheerful engagement of ourselves, for the preservation
of a firm peace and union between the kingdoms, to all posterity.

And lastly, as peace is the pillar of religion, so mutual assistance and
defence of all those that enter into this league and covenant, in the
maintaining and pursuance thereof, (mentioned in that sixth and last
article) is the pillar of that peace, _divide et impera_; desert one
another, and we expose ourselves to the lusts of our enemies. And who
can object against the securing of ourselves, and the state, against a
detestable indifferency or neutrality, but they must, _ipso facto_,
proclaim to all the world that they intend before-hand to turn neutrals
or apostates?

To conclude, therefore, having thus examined the several articles of the
covenant, and the material clauses in those articles; and finding them
to be, if not of the same nature, yet of the same design with the
preface and conclusion; the one whereof, as I told you, at the entrance,
obligeth us to the reformation of religion; the other, of our lives, as
serving to the immediate and necessary support and perfecting of these
blessed and glorious ends and purposes: I shall need to apologise no
further in the vindicating and asserting of this covenant before us.
Could we be so happy, as to bring hearts suitable to this service: could
we set up such aims and ends as the covenant holds forth; the glory of
God, the good of the kingdoms, and honour of the king, to which, this
covenant, and every several part thereof, doth humbly prostrate itself,
all would conspire to make us and our posterity after us, an happy and
glorious people to all generations.

To them that object out of conscience, these poor resolutions may afford
some relief, if not satisfaction; or, if these slender endeavours fall
short of my design, and the reader's desires herein, I shall send them
to their labours, who have taken more able and fruitful pains in this
subject. To them that object out of a spirit of bitterness and
malignity, nothing will suffice. He that is resolved to err, is
satisfied with nothing but that which strengthens his error. And these I
leave to such arguments and convictions, which the wisdom and justice of
authority shall judge more proper; while I proceed to the second query
propounded, for the managing of this use of exhortation; Why? Or, upon
what considerations we may be persuaded to undertake this service? To
enter into this holy covenant.

And the first motive that may engage us hereunto is the consideration,
how exceedingly God hath been dishonoured among us, by all sorts of
covenant-violation, as hath been formerly discovered at large; in the
avenging whereof, the angel of the covenant stands, as once at the door
of paradise, with a flaming sword in his hand, ready to cut us off, and
cast us out of this garden of God--this good land wherein He hath
planted us thus long. I may say unto you therefore, concerning
ourselves, as once Moses in another case, concerning Miriam; "If her
father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed?" If our
father had but spit in our face by some inferior correction, should we
not be ashamed? Ought we not to be greatly humbled before Him? How much
more, when "He hath poured out upon us the fury of His wrath, and it
hath burned us; and the strength of battle, and it hath set on fire
round about?" Should we not lay it to heart, and use all means to pacify
the fierceness of His anger, lest it burn down to the very foundations
of the land, and none be able to quench it?

Yea, secondly, a wonderful mercy, and an high favour we may count it
from God, that yet such a sovereign means is left us for our recovery
and reconciliation. Infinite condescension and goodness it is in our God
that, after so many fearful provocations by our unhallowed and
treacherous dealing in the covenant, He will vouchsafe yet to have any
thing to do with us, that He will yet trust or try us any more, by
admitting us to renew our covenant with His Majesty, when He might in
justice rather say unto us, as to the wicked, "What have you to do, that
you should take My covenant into your mouths, seeing you hate
instruction, and cast My words behind you?" Certainly, had man broken
with us, as oft as we have broken with God, we should never trust them
any more, but account them as the off-scouring of mankind, the vilest,
the basest that ever trode upon God's ground; and yet that after so many
unworthy and treacherous departures from our God, after so much
unfaithfulness and perfidiousness in the covenant, (such as it is not in
the capacity of one man to be guilty of towards another) that God should
say to us, as once to His own people, "Thou hast played the harlot with
many lovers; yet return to Me, saith the Lord:" Oh, wonder of free
grace! Oh, might this privilege be offered to the apostate angels, which
kept not the covenant of their creation, nor consequently their first
estate, and to the rest of the damned souls in hell! Would God send an
angel from heaven to preach unto them a second covenant, upon the laying
hold whereon, and closing wherewith, they might be received into grace
and favour; how would those poor damned spirits bestir themselves! what
rattling of their red-hot chains! what shaking of their fiery locks! In
a word, what an uproar of joy would there be in hell, upon such glad
tidings! how many glorious churches, as Capernaum, Bethsaida, the seven
churches of Asia, with others in latter times, who have for their
covenant-violation been cast down from the top of heaven, where once
they sat in the beauty and glory of the ordinances, to the very bottom
of hell, a dark and doleful condition; and God hath never spoken such a
word of comfort, nor made any such offer of recovery, and reconciliation
unto them, as He hath done to us unto this day? "Surely He hath not
dealt so with any people." Let it be our wisdom, and our thankfulness,
to accept of it, with both hands; yea, both with hands and hearts. If
God give us hearts suitable to this price that is in our hands,
covenanting hearts, as He gives us yet leave and opportunity to renew
our covenant, it will be to me a blessed security that we are not yet a
lost people; and a new argument of hope, that He intends to do England
good. If neglected and despised, whether this may not be the last time
that ever England shall hear from God, I much doubt, unless it be in
such a voice as that is, "I would have healed England, and she will not
be healed; because I would have purged thee, and thou art not purged,
thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have
caused My fury to rest upon thee." The Lord forbid such a thing: "for,
how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?"

_Thirdly_, We may be mightily encouraged to this service, in as much as
it is prophesied of, as the great duty and privilege of gospel-times.
You see the evangelical day, is one of those days wherein this prophecy
and promise must be fulfilled. And it is the same privilege and
happiness which was prophesied of, under the type of the sticks made
one, in the hand of the prophet Ezekiel, (Ezek. xxxvii. 16. 22.) For,
though in the literal sense, it be to be understood, as it is expressed,
of the happy reunion of that unhappy divided seed of Jacob, Joseph and
Ephraim, Israel and Judah; yet in a gospel sense, it is to be applied to
the churches of Jesus Christ, in the latter days, which tho' formerly
divided and miserably torn by unnatural quarrels, and wars, yet Christ,
the King of the Church, hath a day wherein He will make them one in His
own hand: the great and gracious design which we humbly conceive Christ
hath now upon these two nations, England and Scotland, even after all
their sad divisions and civil discords, to make them one in His right
hand, to all generations. And this gives me assurance, that the work
shall go on and prosper, yea, prosper gloriously, it having a stronger
foundation to support it than heaven and earth, for they are upheld but
by a word of power. But this work, which is called the new heavens and
the new earth, is upheld by a word of promise; for "we, according to His
promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwells
righteousness." I say, by a word of prophecy and promise, which, it
seems, is stronger than God Himself; for His word binds Him, so that He
can as soon deny Himself, as deny His promise. There shall be therefore
an undoubted accomplishment of these things, which are told us from the
Lord. God will find, or make a people, who shall worship Him in this
holy ordinance; and upon whom He will make good all the mercy and truth;
all the peace and salvation which is bound up in it: only therefore let
me caution and beseech you, not to be wanting to yourselves and your own
happiness: "Judge not yourselves unworthy of such a privilege," nor
"reject the counsel of God against your own souls; sin not against your
own mercies," by withdrawing yourselves from this service, or rebelling
against it. "God will exclude none, that do not exclude themselves."
Yea, further, this seems to speak an argument of hope, that the calling
of the Jews, and the fulness of the Gentiles, is not far behind;
inasmuch as God begins now to pour out His promise in the text upon the
churches, in a more eminent manner than ever we, or our fathers, saw it
in a gospel sense: and, surely, gospel performance must make way for
that full and universal accomplishment thereof, which shall unite
"Israel and Judah, Jew and Gentile, in one perpetual covenant unto the
Lord, that shall never be forgotten." The gospel day is nothing else but
the dawning of that great universal day in the text, wherein God will
make one glorious Church of Jew and Gentile; the day star whereof is now
risen in our horizon: so that I am humbly confident that the same shores
shall not bound this covenant, which bound the two now covenanting
nations; but, as it is said of the gospel, so it will be verified of
this gospel covenant; "The sound thereof will go into all the earth, and
the words of it to the ends of the world." There is a spirit of prophecy
that doth animate this covenant, which will make it swift and active;
swift to run: "His word runs very swiftly." And active, to work
deliverance and safety not only to these two kingdoms, but to all other
Christian churches groaning under, or in danger of, the yoke of
Antichristian tyranny, whom God shall persuade to join in the same, or
like association and covenant. So that, me-thinks, all that travail with
the Psalmist's desire "of seeing the good of God's chosen, and rejoicing
in the gladness of His nation, and glorying with His inheritance," will
certainly rejoice in this day, and in the goodness of God which hath
crowned it with the accomplishment of such a precious promise as here
lies before us: while none can withdraw from, much less oppose, this
service, but such as bear evil will to Zion, and would be unwilling to
see the ruin and downfall of Antichrist, which this blessed covenant
doth so evidently threaten.

_Fourthly_, This hath been the practice of all the churches of God,
before and since Christ; after their apostasies, and captivities for
those apostasies, and recoveries out of these captivities, the first
thing they did was to cement themselves to God, by a more close, entire,
and solemn covenant than ever. Nehemiah, Ezra, Hezekiah, Jeremiah,
Josiah, will all bring in clear evidences to witness this practice.
This, latter churches have learned of them, Germany, France, Scotland.
But what shall I need to mention the churches, whenas the God of the
churches took this course Himself; who, when He pleases to become the
God of any people or person, it is by covenant; as with Abraham,
"Behold, I make a covenant with thee." And whatever mercies He bestows
upon them, it is by covenant. All the blessings of God's people are
covenant blessings: to wicked men, God gives with His left hand, out of
the basket of common providence; but to His saints, He dispenseth with
His right hand, out of the ark of the covenant. "I will make an
everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."

Yea, which is yet more to our purpose, when the first covenant proved
not, but miscarried, not by any fault that was in the Covenant-Maker,
no, nor simply in the covenant itself; for, if man could have kept it,
it would have given him life; I say, when it was broken, God makes a new
covenant with His people. "Not according to the covenant which I made
with their fathers, which My covenant they brake.... But this shall be
the covenant, ... I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it
in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be My people."
Because they could not keep the first covenant, God made a second that
should keep them. Oh! that while we are making a covenant with our God,
He would please to make such a covenant with us; so would it be indeed a
"perpetual covenant, that should not be forgotten." Well, you see we
have a covenanting God, a covenant-making God, and a covenant-renewing
God; be we "followers of God, as dear children:" let us be a covenanting
people, a covenant making, a covenant-renewing people; and as our God,
finding fault with the first, let us make a "new covenant, even a
perpetual covenant, that shall never be forgotten."

A _fifth_ motive to quicken us to this duty, may be even the practice of
the Antichristian state and kingdom; popery hath been dexterous to
propagate and spread itself by this means. What else have been all their
fraternities and brotherhoods, and societies, but so many associations
and combinations politic, compacted and obliged, by oaths and covenants,
for the advancing of the Catholic cause, whereby nations and kingdoms
have been subdued to the obedience of the Roman mitre? And prelacy (that
whelp) hath learned this policy of its mother papacy (that lioness) to
corroborate and raise itself to that height, we have seen and suffered
by these artifices; while, by close combinations among themselves, and
swearing to their obedience, all the inferior priesthood, and
church-officers, by ordination engagements and oaths of canonical
obedience, a few have been able to impose their own laws and canons,
upon a whole kingdom; yea, upon three kingdoms, it being an
inconsiderable company, either of ministers or people (the Lord be
merciful to us in this thing) that have had eyes to discover the mystery
of iniquity, which these men have driven; and much more inconsiderable,
that have had hearts to oppose and withstand their tyranny and
usurpations. And why may not God make use of the same stratagem to ruin
their kingdom, which they used to build it? Yea, God hath seemed to do
it already, while in that place where they cast that roaring canon, and
formed their cursed oath, for the establishing their Babel prelacy, with
its endless perpetuity. In the very same place hath this covenant been
debated and voted, once, and a second time, by command of public
authority, for the extirpation of it root and branch, and the casting of
it out for ever, as a plant which "our heavenly Father hath not
planted." And who knows, but this may be the arrow of the Lord's
deliverance, which, as it hath pierced to the very heart of prelacy, so
it may also give a mortal wound to the papacy itself, of which it will
never be healed by the whole college of physicians (the Jesuits), who
study the complexion and health of that Babylonian harlot.

In the sixth and last place, the good success this course hath found in
the churches, may encourage us with much cheerfulness and confidence to
undertake this service. It hath upon it a _probatum est_, from all that
ever conscientiously and religiously used this remedy. It recovered the
state and church of the Jews, again and again, many a time, when it was
ready to give up the ghost; it recovered and kept a good correspondency
between God and them, all the time it was of any esteem and credit
amongst them. It brings letters of testimonial with it, from all the
reformed churches; especially from our neighbour nation and church of
Scotland, where it hath done wonders in recovering that people, when all
the physicians in Christendom had given them over. It is very
remarkable. God promiseth to bring them "into the bond of the covenant;"
and in the next verse it follows, "and I will purge out the rebels from
among you." There is an [and] that couples this duty, and this mercy
together; "I will bring you into the bond," "And I will purge out." The
walls of Jericho have fallen flat before it. The dagon of the bishop's
service-book broke its neck before this ark of the covenant. Prelacy and
prerogative have bowed down, and given up the ghost at its feet. What a
reformation hath followed at the heels of this glorious ordinance! and
truly, even among us, as poorly and lamely, and brokenly, as it hath
been managed among us. I am confident, we had given up the ghost before
this time, had it not been for this water of life. Oh! what glorious
success might we expect, if we did make such cheerful, such holy, such
conscientious addresses, as become the law of so solemn an ordinance!
truly, could I see such a willing people in this day of God's power, as
are here in the text, encouraging and engaging one another, in an holy
conspiracy; "Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant;" I have faith enough to promise and prophesy to you in the
name of the Lord, and in the words of His servant Haggai, "From this
very day I will bless you." And that you may know of what sovereignty
this ordinance is; take notice of this, that this is the last physic
that ever the church shall take or need; it lies clear in the text; for
it is an everlasting covenant; and therefore the last that ever shall be
made. After the full and final accomplishment of this promise and duty,
the church shall be of so excellent a complexion, that "the inhabitant
shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein, shall be
forgiven their iniquity." The Lord make it such physic to us for
Christ's sake.




THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

SERMON AT LONDON.

_BY THOMAS CASE._


I come now to the third query, how? And this inquiry divides itself into
two branches--How to (I.) Acceptation and (II.) Perpetuity? For the
satisfying of both which, I will fetch 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.

In the first place, we must inquire how this duty may be so managed,
that God may accept of us in the doing of it? How to acceptation?

Now, in the general, we must know that this service, being an ordinance
of God, must be undertaken and managed with an ordinance frame of heart,
_i.e._ according to the laws and rules of divine 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
addressments to the holy things of God.

In particular, _First_, We are to come to this service, with the most
ponderous advisedness, and most serious deliberation of judgment, that
may be. It is one of those grand qualifications which God Himself calls
for to an oath. "Thou shalt swear in truth, in judgment, and in
righteousness." In truth for the matter, and that we have already
examined in the former sermon in righteousness, in reference to the
keeping of the oath (of which hereafter) and in judgment, 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 advice be useful, "Ponder the path of thy feet,"
"And keep thy foot when thou enterest into the house of God;" then
certainly it is most seasonable, when a people or person draw near to
make or renew their covenant with the most high God. And it seems, in
the latter of those two Scriptures now quoted, the Holy Ghost doth
principally refer to this duty of making vows and covenants with God;
the second verse doth intimate such a business, "Be not rash with thy
mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God." To
utter what? The fourth verse is express, "when thou makest a vow unto
God." So that it is clear, the purpose of the Holy Ghost in that place
is, as in all our holy services, so especially in this of vows, to
caution all the people of God, when they draw near to utter their vows
unto the Lord, to manage it with the greatest deliberation, and
solidness of judgment that is possible; to sit down and consider with
ourselves before hand, with whom we have to deal? What we have to do?
Upon what warrant? By what rule? To what end? "The lame and the blind,"
God's soul hates for a sacrifice, The lame affections, and the blind
ignorant judgment. And well He may; for certainly, they that do not
swear in judgment, will not, cannot swear in righteousness; they that do
not make their vows in judgment, will not, cannot pay, or perform them
in righteousness. He that swears he knows not what, will observe he
cares not how. Incogitant making, will end in unconscionable 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 ways unsatisfied, in
whole, or in parts, I advise you to forbear, till your judgments be
better informed. "Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin." Provided, that
this be not done merely in a pretence to evade and elude this service,
to which God and the two nations call you, as here in the text. "Come,
let us join." Take heed of casting a mist of willing prejudice and
affected ignorance, before your own eyes; such the apostle speaks of, to
no other purpose, but that your own malignity may steal away in that
mist undiscovered; for be sure, your sin will find you out. An ingenious
ignorance and truly conscientious tenderness, is accompanied with an
ingenuous 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 scruples, and satisfying conscience, whensoever you shall make
your addresses for that purpose. In the mean time, if there be any that,
under pretence of unsatisfiedness, do shun the duty and information too;
they will be found, but to mock God and authority; to whose justice and
wisdom therefore I must leave them. God tells His people, when He joins
Himself to them, "I will marry thee to Myself, in righteousness, and
judgment." How in judgment? 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 beggarly, and undone, and
foreseeing what it is like to prove, 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 wherewithal 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 consultation you
may read, dropped from God's own pen, "And I said, how shall I put thee
among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of
the hosts of nations?" Here is God's wise deliberation on the matter:
"how shall I put thee?" 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. It is not a pleasant 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 child, "thou shalt call Me, Father:" and then I will give
thee the inheritance of a child, "a goodly heritage." And when I have
done; I will not leave thee to thyself, but I will knit thee to Myself,
by an indissoluble union. "I will put My Spirit into thee." "And thou
shalt not turn away from Me." There is God's wise resolution; He
resolves to do all Himself, and then He is sure it will not fail His
expectation; He undertakes it. "Thou shalt call Me, my Father, and shalt
not turn away from Me." Thus God, when He marrieth His people to
Himself, doeth it in judgment. Now therefore, "be ye followers of God,
as dear children." And since you come now about the counterpart of the
same work; namely, to join or marry yourselves to God, do it in
judgment. Consider well what you do; and, among other things, since you
are so poor, and nothing in yourselves, as you have seen in the opening
of this precious Scripture; bethink yourselves where you will have
strength and sufficiency, to make good this great and solemn engagement
with your God. But of this more hereafter.

_Secondly_, See that you come to this service with a reverential frame
of spirit, with that holy fear and awe, upon your hearts, as becomes the
greatness and holiness of that God, and that ordinance, with whom you
have to do; remembering 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 bind our
hearts down in an humble, and holy prosternation? It is said of Jacob,
"He sware by the fear of his father Isaac." Jacob in his oath chooseth
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
beggar; 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, before whom all the nations are but as a
drop of a bucket, and the small dust of the balance." And the poor
nothing creature, "vanity, and altogether lighter than vanity." And yet,
this is not all; yea, this is the shortest measure of that distance,
whereof we speak; the distance of Creator and the creature; lo, it is
found between God and the angels in heaven, and the "spirits of just men
made perfect;" in respect whereof, the Psalmist saith of God, "He
humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven." It is a
condescension for that infinitely glorious being, who dwells in Himself,
and is abundantly satisfied in the beholding of His own incomprehensible
excellencies, to vouchsafe to look out of Himself, and behold the things
that are in heaven; the best of those glorious inhabitants that stand
round about His throne; who therefore, 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 sets us
farther beneath a worm, than a worm is beneath 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, than 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 condescension for the great God to
behold the things that are in heaven, how infinite condescension is it,
to behold the sinful things that are on earth! and if sinless saints,
and spotless angels do tender their services, which yet are as spotless
as their persons, with such reverential deportment; what abhorrency and
self-annihilation can be sufficient to accompany our approaches to this
God of holiness, 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! "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 find acceptation.

Again, _Thirdly_, to that end, labour to approve yourselves to God in
this service, in the uprightness and sincerity of your hearts. The want
of this, God lays oft to the charge of the Israelites, as in other
duties, so especially in this, which is now before us, "They lied to Him
with their tongues: for their heart was not right 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, these
men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling-block
of their iniquity 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 inquired of?" is as much as, "I will not be inquired of."
It is a denial with disdain; "should I?" Or, if they be so impudent to
inquire, 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; "I
will answer them according to the multitude of their idols," _i.e._
according to the merit of their idolatry: 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
anything lie nearer our hearts than Himself, He will scorn us, and our
services. If, therefore, you would be accepted, "out with your idols;"
cast out 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 inquire the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward,"
_i.e._, in sincerity, with uprightness of spirit, with the full set and
bent of their souls: as it is said of Christ, when He went to His
passion; "He stedfastly set His face to go up to Jerusalem." He went
with all His heart to be crucified; with a strong bent of spirit.
Beloved, we are not going to "crucifying work," (unless it be to crucify
the flesh with the affections and lusts) but to marriage work; "to join
ourselves to the Lord, in an everlasting covenant." Let us do it "with
our faces Zion-ward;" yea, let us stedfastly set our faces
reformation-ward and heaven-ward, and God-ward, and Christ-ward, with
whom we enter covenant this day. A man may inquire the way to Zion, with
his face towards Babylon; a people or person may enter covenant with
God, with their hearts Rome-ward, and earth-ward, and sin-ward, and
hell-ward. Friends, look to your hearts. "Peradventure, said Jacob, my
father will feel me, and I shall seem to him as one that mocks, 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 searcheth all
hearts, and understandeth the imagination of the thoughts. If we be
found as they that mock, shewing much love with our mouths, while our
hearts are far from Him, we shall bring a curse upon ourselves; 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; "they had
sworn with all their heart, and with their whole desire." And their
success 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 happiness 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 expresses it, _i.e._ one heart for
God, and another for our idols; one heart for Christ, and another for
Antichrist,: 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 find such success as we look for; safety and
deliverance to both the nations; yea, that both in respect of our
sincerity and success, that might be made good upon us that is spoken to
the eternal honour of that good king Hezekiah, "And in every work that
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." Universal sincerity is accompanied with universal
prosperity; in all he did, he was upright, and in all he did, he
prospered. Brethren, whatever you want, be sure you want not sincerity;
let God see you fully set in your hearts to take all from sin, and to
give all to Jesus Christ; me-thinks I hear God saying unto us,
"according to your uprightness, so be it unto you."

In the _Fourth_ place, 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 corn and wine," as formerly; of which God says, "they cried not
unto Me," _i.e._, they did not make God the end of their prayers; as
elsewhere God tells them: "When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and
seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye fast to Me, even unto
Me?" In seventy years, they kept sevenscore fasts in Babylon; and yet,
amongst them all, they kept not one day unto God; for though the duty
looked 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 God's dishonour, as
the cause of their captivity; they were not troubled so much, that they
had by their sins walked contrary to God, as that God, by His judgments,
had "walked contrary to them." They fasted and prayed, rather to get off
their chains than to get off their sins; to get rid of the bondage of
the Babylonians, than 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 only for themselves; "going and weeping;" why? Not so much that He
hath offended them, as that they have offended Him; for their sins, more
than for their punishments; so it is more distinctly reported, "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 only in
their sins, but in their duties; "they cried not to Me; they fasted not
to Me; not at all unto Me." But now they remember the Lord their God;
they seek His face; they labour to atone 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 Zion;" they require as well, and
more, how they should serve Him, as that He should save them. "The Lord
is our judge, the Lord is our law-giver, the Lord is our king, He will
save us." Beloved Christians, let us write after this copy, and in this
great business we have in hand, let us seek God, and seek Him as a
fountain of holiness, as well as a fountain of happiness. Take we heed
of those base, low, dung-hill ends, which prevailed upon the Shechemites
to enter into covenant with the God of the Hebrews, "shall not their
cattle and substance be ours?" Let the two nations, and every soul in
both the nations, that lift up the hand to the most high God, in this
holy league and covenant, take heed of, and abhor such unworthy
thoughts, if they should be crowding in upon this service, and say unto
them, as once Christ to Peter, "get thee behind me, Satan; thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."
You may remember how it fared with Hamor, and his son Shechem, and their
people, to whom they propounded these base ends. God did not only
disappoint them of their ends, but destroy them for them; their aims
were to get the Hebrews' substance and cattle; but they lost their own,
with lives to boot; "For it came to pass on the third day, when they
were sore, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, came upon the city
boldly, and slew all the males. And the sons of Jacob came upon the
slain, and spoiled the city; they took their sheep, and their oxen, and
all their wealth." A most horrid and bloody 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 sensual 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,
as they also tempted." For, if God so much abhorred, and so severely
punished these worldly respects in the men of the world; if God was so
angry with poor purblind heathen, who had no other light for their
guide, but the glimmering light of nature; how will His anger not only
kindle, but flame in the avenging of such baseness upon Christians, a
people of His own, who have the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, to discover to them higher and heavenly ends and references? So
that such a kingdom, people, or person, that should dare to bring such
base carnal ends, to so spiritual 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 greatness, from such an
excellent ordinance, God makes it by a strange but a righteous hand, an
occasion of misery and ruin to them and their posterity, to many
generations.

Christians, labour to set up God in this day and duty, wherein you
engage yourselves so nigh unto Him; and if you would have heavenly
blessings, see that you propound and pursue heavenly ends and aims;
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 only 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, "whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever
ye do, do all to the glory of God."

_Fifthly_, To do this business to acceptation, we must do it cheerfully:
as God loves a cheerful giver, so He loves a cheerful hearer, a cheerful
petitioner, and a cheerful covenanter; and you have it in the text too,
"come let us;" there is their readiness and cheerfulness to the work; as
it was that for which the apostle doth commend his Macedonians in
another service. "This they did, not as we hoped, 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 rejoice, that you were a
people, "that gave yourselves to the Lord," and unto the work of
reformation, not by a Parliamentary fear, or by our ministerial
compulsions; but, above our hopes, and beyond our expectations; of your
own accord. See what a wonder, not only of cheerfulness, but of joy and
triumph, is recorded of the Jews in king Asa's time, in their taking of
the covenant. "They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with
shouting; and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at
the oath; for they had sworn with all their hearts." There was indeed a
severe mulct, a capital censure enacted, against those that should
refuse, and reject this ordinance. "They should be put to death, whether
great or small, whether man or woman." A very grievous censure; but it
seems there was neither need, nor use for it; "for all Judah rejoiced at
the oath;" the people looked upon this service, not as their pressure,
but as their privilege; and therefore came to it, not with contentedness
only, but an holy triumph, and so saved the magistrate and themselves
the labour and charges of executing that sentence on delinquents. Oh!
that this may be your wisdom and honour; that whatever penalty the
honourable Parliaments of either nation, shall in their wisdom 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 less than death, will not be justice only but
moderation) I say, whatever it shall be, it may be rendered useless and
invalid by the forwardness and rejoicings of an obedient people; that
all England, as well as Scotland, would rejoice at the oath, and swear
with all their hearts. 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 God's power: the Lord make you
a "willing people." And, as a testimony of this willingness and joy,
imitate the people here in the text, and stir up one another, and
provoke one another to this holy service. "Let us join ourselves to the
Lord." They express their charity, as well as their joy; they would not
go to Zion alone; they call as many as they meet with them; "come let us
join ourselves to the Lord." Oh, that this might be your temper! It is
the very character of the evangelical church; as both Isaiah and Micah
have described it; their words be the same. "Many people shall go and
say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord." Oh! that
while neutrals and malignants do discourage one another, and set off one
another, and embitter one another's spirits; God and His ministers might
find you encouraging each other, and provoking one another, and
labouring to oil one another's spirits, to this (as other) Gospel duty
and prerogative; God could not choose, but be much pleased with such a
sight. I might have made this a distinct qualification, but for
brevity's sake, I couch it under this head. I come to the last. If you
would be accepted, bring faith with you to this service: and that in a
fourfold reference; 1. God. 2. The ordinance. 3. Ourselves. 4. Jesus
Christ.

_First_, In reference unto God; "for 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
people's hand, than when they come with their hearts as full of good
thoughts of God as ever they can hold; such as, "Lo, this is our God, we
have waited for Him, and He will save us; we have waited for Him, we
will be glad, and rejoice in His salvation." "He will save," "we will be
glad," _i.e._, God will undoubtedly give us occasion of gladness and
triumph in His praises. Oh, sweet and blessed confidence of divine
goodness! how well doth this become the children of such a father, who
hath styled Himself the Father of mercies? Good thoughts of God do
mightily please, and even engage God to shew mercy to His people. "Let
us therefore come with boldness to the throne of grace;" even in this
ordinance also, "that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in
this time of our need."

_Secondly_, Let us bring faith in reference to the duty; as we are to
believe well of God, so we are to believe well of the duty, that it is
an ordinance wherein God will be sanctified, and found of them that seek
Him. It is not enough, that we seek Him in His ordinance, but that we
believe it to be His ordinance. "Whatever is not of faith, is sin;" He
speaks not of a faith that doth justify the person; but of a faith that
doth justify the performance; that is, a thorough conviction of
conscience, that the work, whatsoever it is, is such that the word will
bear me out in it, such as God Himself doth approve. To do doubtfully,
is to do sinfully; an ignorant person cannot please God.

_Thirdly_, Bring faith in reference to your own persons; believe that
God will accept of them in this ordinance; whatever your success shall
be in regard of the kingdom, yet you shall find acceptance in regard of
your persons: so the church. "Thou meetest him that rejoiceth, and
worketh righteousness, those that remember Thee in Thy ways." When a
people or person can say, as the church in another place, "In the way of
Thy judgments, 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 meet them half-way; "thou meetest him,"
like the father of the prodigal, while they are yet half-way, He will
see, and run, and meet, 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! stir up yourselves, and engage your faith to believe,
and expect a gracious entertainment. If God see you coming in the
integrity and uprightness of your hearts, to enter into covenant with
God, to take Him as your God, and to give up yourselves to be His
people, to take away all from sin, and to give all to Jesus Christ; He
will certainly take it well at your hands, and say unto you, "come, my
people, and welcome; I will be your God, and you shall be my people;"
which that you may not miss of,

In the _fourth_ place, come believingly, in reference to Jesus Christ;
be sure you bring a Christ with you; for "He hath made us accepted in
the Beloved." Come without a Christ, and go without acceptance.

The day of atonement among the Jews was called the day of expiation; and
the word _kippurim_ is derived from an Hebrew root, that signifies to
cover; and so the day of atonement was as much as to say, "the day of
covering; the covering of nakedness: and the covering of sin." "Blessed
is the man whose transgression 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 atonement, because it was a day of covering:
wherein Christ was typified, Who is the "the covering of the saints; the
long white robes of His righteousness" covering both their persons and
performances; so that the nakedness of neither doth appear in the eyes
of His Father; "He hath beheld no iniquity in Jacob, neither hath seen
perverseness in Israel." Why? Not because there was no "iniquity in
Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel," for there was hardly any thing else;
but because their iniquity and perverseness were hid from His eyes,
being covered with the mantle of His Son's righteousness, the Messiah,
which He had promised, and they so much looked for. Let us therefore in
this service, as in all, "put on the Lord Jesus." That as Jacob in the
garments of his elder brother Esau, so we in the garments of our elder
brother Jesus, may find acceptance and obtain the blessing. And thus
much be spoken concerning the first branch of this third query, how to
acceptation?

I come now to the Second branch of it, and that is, How to perpetuity?
Or, how may we perform this service so that it may be "an everlasting
covenant, that may never be forgotten?" To that end, take these few
brief directions, and I have done.

_First_, Labour to come to this service with much soul-affliction for
former violation of the covenant, either in refusing, or profaning, or
breaking thereof: the foundations must be laid low, where we would build
for many generations. In what 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." This you have in the text;
"they shall seek the Lord, going and weeping;" weeping in the sense of
their former rebellions and apostasies, whereby they forfeited their
faith, and brake their covenant with the Lord their God; and it was no
ordinary slight business they made of it. "A voice was heard upon the
high places, weeping and supplication." They were not a few silent
tears: no, they "lift up their voices and wept," as was said of Esau.
They cried so loud, that they were heard a great way off. "A voice was
heard upon the mountains;" and it was as bitter, as it was loud; "a
great mourning, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of
Megiddon," when all Judah, Jerusalem, Jeremiah the prophet, and all the
singers, bewailed the death of their good king Josiah, with a grievous
lamentation, "and made it an ordinance forever." Oh! that as we have
their service in hand, so we had their heads and their hearts, to manage
it with rivers of tears, for our former vileness: that we could weep
this day together, and afterward apart, as it is prophesied, "Every
family apart, and our wives apart;" yea, and every soul apart, that we
have dealt so evilly with so good a God, so unfaithfully with so
faithful a God; that we could put our mouths in the dust, and smite upon
our thigh, and be ashamed and confounded, for all the wickedness we have
committed against God and His covenant, in any, or all these ways. Such
a posture God will see us in, before He will shew us "the way to Zion;"
before He will reveal to us the model and platform of reformation; for
so was His charge to Ezekiel, "If they be ashamed of all that they have
done, shew them the forms 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." Surely, this
blessed prophecy hath an eye upon our times, for this is one of those
days, as I told you before, wherein God will make good these gracious
words unto His people; and God hath called together His Ezekiels, His
ministers, to "shew the house," _i.e._, the form and pattern of the
evangelical 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. And thus do our Ezekiels
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
inquired after the mind of Christ, how He will be worshipped in His
house; but now, unless we be ashamed, _i.e._, deeply and thoroughly
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, unless 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 holiness; 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 model and platform of
reformation; so also, till we be in such a posture of deep humiliation,
for our former abominations, we shall never be stedfast and faithful in
the covenant of God. Till our hearts be throughly broken for
covenant-breach, we will not pass much for breaking covenant, upon every
fresh temptation. Yea, till that time we be humbled, not for a day only,
and so forth: but unless we labour to maintain an habitual frame of
godly 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 special means to prevent new. When every solemn remembrance of
former vileness, can fetch tears from our eyes, and blood from our
hearts, and fill our faces with an holy shame, the soul will be holily
shy of the like abominations, and of all occasions and tendencies
thereunto: "Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and
the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled within
me." When old sins cost dear, new sins will not find an easy
entertainment. When old sins are new afflictions, when the remembrance
of them is as wormwood and gall, the soul will not easily be bewitched
to drink a new draught of that poisoned cup any more. Christian, believe
me, or thou mayest find it by experience too true, when thou hast forgot
old sins, or canst remember them without new affliction of soul, thou
art near a fall; look to thyself, and cry to God for preventing grace.
There will be great hopes we shall be faithful in our new covenant, when
we come with a godly sense and sorrow for our abuse of old, and labour
to maintain it upon our spirits.

_Secondly_, If you would have this covenant to be a perpetual covenant,
labour to see old scores crossed; do not only mourn for thy
covenant-unfaithfulness; but labour to get thy pardon written and sealed
to thee in the blood of the covenant. There is virtue enough in the
blood of the covenant, to expiate the guilt of thy sins against the
covenant. "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean;
from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse 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 cleansing virtue thereof, should cleanse them from their
covenant defilements. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all
sin." "Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; 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 old; and
the sense of this pardon is a mighty engagement and strengthening, to
keep our new covenants. Oh! for God to say to a poor soul, "be of good
cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee." "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,
shall be forgotten; they shall do thee no harm. This will mightily
strengthen the hands, and fortify the heart, and even make it
impenetrable and impregnable against all the solicitations and
importunities of old temptations: see a notable instance of this, "I
will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely; for mine anger is
turned away from him." "I will be as the dew to Israel." "His branches
shall spread." "They that dwell under His shadow shall return." What
follows these gracious promises? Why, Ephraim shall say, "What have I to
do any more with idols?" He that before was so inseparably joined to
idols, that he could not be divorced from them; "Ephraim is joined to
idols." All the blows that God gave him, tho' God should have beaten him
to pieces, as he himself afterward confessed, could not beat him off
from his idols; insomuch, that God at length gave him over, as an
hopeless child. "Ephraim is joined to idols, let him lone." 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 to do
with idols?" Or as the prophet Isaiah expresseth it, "Ye shall defile
the covering of the graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy
molten images of gold; thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth,
thou shalt say unto it, get thee hence." And thus it is with a people,
or a person, when once "God sheds abroad His Spirit in their hearts,"
and makes them "hear joy and gladness," in speaking, or sealing, a
pardon upon their souls; they that before were joined to their idols,
drunkenness, uncleanness, covetousness, pride, ways of false worship,
old superstitious customs, and ceremonies, and the like; so that there
was no parting of them; or those who had long been grappling 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 gashes upon their souls;
now they stand up with a kind of omnipotence among them, no temptation
is able to stand before them; they say to their idols, whether sinful
company, or sinful customs, "get ye hence, and what have I to do any
more with idols?" What have I to do with such and such base company?
What have I to do with such base filthy lusts? "I am my beloved's, and
my beloved is mine." Christ is mine, and I am His. The reason of it is,
because pardon begets love; "she loved much, because much was forgiven
her." And love begets strength: "for love is as strong as death": yea,
stronger than sin or death; "They loved not their lives to the death,"
and "I count not my life dear," says 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 find in his
heart, not only to lay down a lust, but to lay down his life too for
Jesus Christ: "for whose sake, (saith he), I have suffered the loss of
all things; and I count not my life dear, so that I might finish my
course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord
Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

My beloved Christians, if you would be faithful in the covenant of God,
into which you are now entering, sue out your pardon for what is past;
yea, entreat the Lord, not only 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 souls. "The joy of the Lord is your
strength."

_Thirdly_, If you would make an unchangeable covenant, with an
unchangeable God, come furnished with and maintain upon your hearts, an
abundant measure of self-distrust; labour to be thoroughly convinced of
your own nothingness and disability. "By his own strength shall no man
prevail." Surely, thine own treachery may inform thee, and thine own
backslidings may convince thee, to confess with Jeremiah, "O Lord, I
know (I know it by s