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A89791 The excellency and lawfulnesse of the Solemne league and covenant. Set forth in a speech, or exhortation made by Mr. Phillip Nye to the Honorable House of Commons and reverend assembly of ministers at their taking the said Solemne league and covenant. Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672. 1646 (1646) Wing N1491; Thomason E318_7; ESTC R200550 8,967 8

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THE EXCELLENCY AND LAWFVLNESSE of the Solemne League and COVENANT Set forth in a Speech or Exhortation made by Mr. Phillip Nye to the Honorable House of Commons and Reverend Assembly of Ministers at their taking the said Solemne LEAGVE and COVENANT LONDON Printed by W. Wilson for Tho. Vnderhill at the signe of the Bible in Wood-street 1646. An Exhortation made to the Honorable House of Commons and Reverend Assembly of Ministers by M. Nye at their taking the Solemne League and Covenant Sept. 25. 1643. A Great and solemne worke Honorable and Reverend this day is put into our hands let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it We deale with God as well as with men and with God in his greatnesse and excellencie for by him we sweare and at the same time wee have to doe with with God and his goodnesse who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arme of assistance The goodnesse of God procuring succour and helpe to a sinfull and afflicted people such as we ought to be matter of feare and trembling even to all that beare of it Jer. 33.9 Wee are to exalt and acknowledge him this day who is fearefull in praises sweare by that name which is holy and reverent 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 beene in any age or Oath we reade of in sacred or humane Stories yet sufficiently warranted in both The parties ingaging in this league are three Kingdomes famous for the knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ above all the Kingdomes in the world to sweare before such a presence should mould the spirit of man into a great deale of reverence what then to be engaged to be incorporated and that by sacred Oath with such an high and Honorable Fraternity An Oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemne by how much greater the persons are that sweare each to other as in heaven when God sweares to his Son on earth when Kings sweare each to other so in this businesse where Kingdomes sweare mutually And as the solemnitie of an Oath is to be measured by the persons swearing so by the matter also that is to be sworne to God would not sweare to the Covenant of workes 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 sweares and repents not of it God sweares for the salvation of men and of Kingdomes And if Kingdomes sweare what subject of an Oath becommeth them better then the preservation and salvation of Kingdomes by establishing the Kingdome 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 honorable as either of the former Two is better then one saith he who best knoweth what is best and from whom alone every thing hath the goodnesse it hath Association is of divine Ofspring not only the being of Creatures but the putting of them together the cluster as well as the grape is the worke of God consort and harmony amongst men especially amongst Saints is very pleas●ng unto the Lord. If when but two or three agree and assent upon any thing on earth it shall bee confirmed in heaven and for this because they gather together in his name much more when two or three Kingdomes 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 Christs seemeth to proceede from a feeling sense of his own blessednesse Father that they may be one as thou in me c. Unity amongst his Churches and Children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto him For out of the more deepe sense desires are fetcht from within us the more pleas ng will be the answer of them unto us Churches and Kingdomes are deare to God his patience towards them his compassions over them more then particular persons sheweth it plainely But Kingdomes willingly engaging themselves for his Kingdome his Christ his Saints the purity of Religion his worship and Governement in all particulars and in all humility fitting downe 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 of an unfaithfull heart not steady with our God but apt to start from the cause if we feele the knife or the fire who binde our selves with cords as a sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar Wee invocate the name of the great God that his vowes yea his curse may be upon us if we doe not this yea though wee suffer for so doing that is if wee endeavour not so far as the Lord shall assist us by his grace to advance the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ hereupon 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 doe wee covenant What doe 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 Kingdomes and a Reformation universall Doctrine Discipline and Worship in whatsoever the Word shall discover unto us To practise is a fruit of love to reforme a fruit zeale but so to reforme will be a token of great prudence and circumspection in each of these Churches And all this to be done according to Gods word the best Rule and according to the best reformed Churches the best interpreters of this Rule If England hath obtained to any greater perfection in so handling the word of righteousnesse and truths that are according to godlinesse as to make men more godly more righteous And if in the Churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of Order 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 waies then any of us we shall humbly bow and kisse their lips that can speake right words unto us in this matter and helpe us in the nearest uniformity with the word and minde of Christ in this great worke of Reformation Honorable and Reverend Bretheren there cannot be a more direct and effectuall way to exhort and perswade the wife and men of sad and serious spirits and such are you to whom I am commanded to speake this day then to let into their understandings the weight and worth and great importance of the worke they are