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A51048 The covenanters looking-glasse discovering his duty and dignity with sundry motives and directions tending to further our keeping covenant with God : also an epistle containing an exact relation of all the most principall things done in the Parliament of England since their first sitting to this present day : with divers other materiall things very usefull for all sorts both for the present and future times / by Thomas Mocket ... Mocket, Thomas, 1602-1670? 1644 (1644) Wing M2305A; ESTC R43458 41,433 51

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shall blot out his name from under heaven and the Lord shall separate him to evill out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Mark the grand reason of all this fierce anger of the Lord against such vers 25. Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers For breaking of Covenant God caused Achan and all his to be stoned and burnt in the sire Iosh 7.11.15 and all Israel suffere I with him they could not stand before their enemies but were routed and smitten before th m. For this very thing Sauls breaking the Covenant made with the Gibionites though long before his time God punished all Israel with three yeers famine and in the end with the death of seven of Saith sons 2 Sam. 21. therefore also God rent the Kingdom from Solomon and gave ten Tribes to his servant Ieroboam 1 King 11 11. All these things give weight to this duty and the point in hand Thus we have seen it opened what a Covenant is what it is to keep it and how Also the point or duty cleerly proved That a Covenant once made may not be broken but must be carefully kept Thus of a Covenant in generall Now with the good leave of the great Assembly I will here take occasion to speak something concerning our Nationall Covenant Vow or Protestation in particular And here I will first set down the Protestation prudently commended to us by the Honorable House in these words I A. B. Do in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintain and defend as far as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same Doctrine And according to the duty of my Allegiance His Majesties Royall Person Honour and Estate As also the Power and Priviledges of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power and as far as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practice counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shal in all just and honorable ways endeavor to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope fear nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation Touching this Nationall Covenant or Protestation we may here observe and consider 1. What we here promise and vow to maintaine and so what we here renounce 2. What it is to maintaine and defend the true Protestant Religion 3. Why for what ends we entred into this Protestation 4. How far this promise and Protestation doth bind us First What we here promise vow and protest viz. divers things which I conceive are in number 7. And the First is to maintaine and defend with our lives power and estate The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine I will not set downe the principall Doctrines of the true reformed Protestant Religion and the Anti. See M Ley his book entituled A comparison betwixt the late Oath c. Protestant or Popish Doctrines and Innovations which we here protest against I will only set downe some Arguments and Reasons why we should with our lives power and estates maintaine and defend the true reformed Protestant Religion in the generall and consequently every particular branch and part of it against all Popery and Popish Innovations and every part and parcell of Popery and they are these 1. Because God hath commanded it and every one ought to make conscience of the commands of God and to his uttermost power observe and keep them JVDE v. 3. It was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith viz. the Doctrine of faith which was once delivered to the Saints Not only contend but contend earnestly with all vehemency and intention of spirit with all our might To this purpose also is that of the Apostle to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me and 1 Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith that is both in the doctrine and grace of faith And no lesse is pressed on us Levit. 18.4 5. Deut. 4.40 and 5.32 33. and 6.3 17. and in very many other places Ye shall keep my statutes my iudgemonts my ordinances and commandements And if we cannot without drawing guilt on our soules breake the lawfull just and good commands of superiours how much lesss may we breake the righteous lawes of God 2. Our eternall salvation is built upon this There is no other Religion no other way or meanes in the world by which we can be saved Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 15. ● By which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory or hold fast what I preached unto you If we deny renounce or forsake this never looke to goe to Heaven never hope to see the face of God with joy 3. Gods glory is greatly promoted and advanced hereby as by the deny all of the true faith or Religion he is greatly dishonoured it confirmes others in their idolatrous false or superstitious wayes and opens the mouths of the adversaries and wicked men to speake evill of and blaspheme the truth and good wayes of God 4. The true reformed Protestant Religion is the badge of the true Christian and true servants of God their Livery and Cognisance whereby they are distinguished from all I dolaters Pagans Mahumetans Papists and Jewes that still cleave to the Mosaicall Rights long since abolished by Christ Yea by the sincere embracing and profession hereof the true Christians and servants of God are distinguished from all hypocrites 5. The Gospell upon which the true reformed Protestant Religion which we professe and is established as the publick doctrine of this Church of England is undoubtedly built was confirmed by many miracles from Heaven and truly divine Look throughout the whole Book of God and see how many divine Ratifications there have been of the Gospell and consequently of the true Religion which we doe now publickly through Gods great mercy professe It is the same with that of the Apostles and people of God in those first primitive times and which our blessed Saviour himselfe taught professed and sealed with his bloud and this should be a great inducement to us to embrace maintain and defend it to the death 6. This hath been recommended to us by the
others at our pleasure for any worldly profits preferment or other respect whatsoever Deut. 5.32 33. Ye shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left Ye shall walk in all the wayes which the Lord your God hath commanded you that ye may live c. 3. Constantly Alwayes To this we are exhorted encouraged commanded Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a Crown of life Gal. 6.9 Be not weary of well-doing to begin well and afterward to fall off again is fearfull what is it else but to return with the dog to his vomit and with the Swine to the wallowing in the mire better for such a man that he had never known the way of righteousnesse then after he hath known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto him 2 Pet. 2.21 22. Better it is that thou shouldst not vow he there speaks of things Arbitrary and not such as are commanded and necessary then that thou shouldst vow and not pay it This for the Manner Now Fourthly come we to the Grounds and Reasons why we must having once entred into Covenant with God be carefull constantly to observe and keep it And they are these and the like 1. The Command of God which is very clear and full in the Text See also Yer 11.6 Hear ye the words of this Covenant and do them Deut. 4.23 Saith Moses to Israel from God Take heed to your selves lest ye forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he hath made with you Psal 50.15 Pay thy vows unto the most high Eccles 5.4 When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools pay that which thou hast vowed In these two last places it is spoken chiefly if not onely of vows made of things voluntary and Arbitrary that was in the power of him that voweth before he vowed to vow or not vow them unto the Lord yet being once vowed the vow must be kept And if this binde in things Arbitrary how much more in things necessary and otherwise commanded Also full to this purpose is that Deut 4.6.40 and 5.1 2.32 33 and 6.1 and in very many other places Now we all ought to make conscience of the command of God and carefully to observe and do it in respect of our relation unto him and dependance upon him both essendo operando in our being actions and well being which is wholly on him He gave us a Being when we had none continueth that being and the comforts of it we do enjoy and redeemed us when we were worse then nothing undone and lost for ever 2. We should keep Covenant with God because of that solemn * Quia jam vovisti jam te ad strinxisti a iud tibi facere non licet Aug. in Ep. ad Arm●n bond and tye that lieth upon our souls whereby we have engaged our selves to God to be his and onely his for ever to fear him and serve him for ever Numb 30.2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath to binde his soul with aboud every oath every vow bindes the soul layes a strong bond or engagement on it If it be but a mans Covenant no man may disannull it saith the Apostle Gal. 3.15 viz. By reason of the strong bond or tye it layeth on the soul How much greater think you is the tye and engagement which the Covenant of God layeth on the soul 3. We must keep Covenant with God that we may be like unto God as we are exhorted to be Ephes 5.1 as in all other things so in this we must strive to imitate and follow God to be like unto him Now concerning God we reade That he is faithfull in keeping Covenant with us Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God is the faithfull God that keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments Psal 111.5 He is ever mindefull of his Covenant as he promises Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever c. Therefore since God is faithfull in keeping Covenant with us we must be faithfull in keeping Covenant with God that we may be as our duty is like unto our heavenly Father and thereby may approve our selves to be the children of God 4. For this end we enter into Covenant with God at Baptism renew it at the Lords Supper and some other times that we might keep his Statues Judgements and Commandments God requires this and we use it chiefly as a help to further us in our Obedience to God we are all naturally very backward and apt to take any occasion to neglect our duty of obedience to God and therfore do promise and bind our selves thereby to help and further us in our duty as we use to binde men to bring them into bond who are apt to break promise If we be to deal with an unfaithfull person that is like to play fast and loose to deny his promise and flie from his word we use to get him into bonds and then we think all is sure enough 5. Breach of Covenant God accounts a great sinne and will severely punish it therefore we should keep Covenant with God 1. He accounts breach of Covenant a great sin though it be of covenant only betwixt man and man and reckoneth it among the great sins of the Gentiles That they were Covenant-breakers Rom. 1.31 Psal 55.20 2 Tim. 3.3 what is it then to break Covenant with God 2. And as God accounts it a great sin so he will severely punish it So he threatned Gen. 17.14 The uncircumcised man childe whose flesh in his forehead is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people mark the reason He hath broken my Covenant saith God Levit. 26.15 16 17. Saith God If ye shall despise my Statutes so that ye will not do all my Commandments but that ye break my Covenant I will even appoint over you terrour consumption and the burning Ague And I will set my face against you and ye shall he slain by your enemies Ezek. 17.15 16. saith God of Zedekiah Shall he prosper Shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God Surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him king whose Oath he despised and whose Covenant be beake even with him in the midst of Babylon shall he die A grievous curse is threatned against this sin Jer. 11.2 3. Hear ye the words of this Covenant Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant yea many curses Deut. 29.20 21-25 The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord