a monstrous nature namely perjury which is a blasphemy against the Truth of God and against the God of Truth while His Sacred Name is sworne by and himself cald in to witnesse to a Lye and so that sin or sins which in reference to the Law of God is disobedience in reference to love of God inviting pardoning healing is rebellion in reference to our promise is treachery is now at last in reference to the Oath aggravated into perjury and blasphemy This is much but this is not all Reason 4 Consider the Parties entring this Oath and you will finde a fourth and yet a strong ground and reason The parties swearing why Covenant-violation is so high a quarrell The parties striking this Covenant which are God and his People and this doth exceedingly aggravate the sin since by how much the parties interested in the Covenant are more high and honourable by so much the more solemne and venerable is a Covenant esteemed So Covenants entred into between Kings and Kings and between Kingdoms Kingdoms are accounted more solemn and sacred then those that are past between private persons What is it then think ye when a Kingdom yea Kingdoms on one side and the great Almighty God on the other side swear mutually one to another And the more Sacred the Covenant the more prophane the Violation Oh for a People to swear not onely By God but to God and yet dally or prevaricate this must needs be a mockery of an high provocation If God so threaten the breach of Oaths wherein he was but witnesse how impatient will he be of those forseitures wherein he is both Witnesse and Partie A People or Person swearing By God to God Reas 5 And yet once more consider the End of a Covenant between God and a People 1 1. End of a Covenant and you will see more matter of provocation in the prophanation of it Now the end is twofold Primarie or Essentiall Secondarie or Consequentiall The Primarie or Essentiall End is to knita sure indissoluble knot Jer 50.5 between God and his people Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant c. Let us joyn A Covenant is the joyning Ordinance the Marriage knot as it were wherein God and a People are made one for as in Marriage 1 Cor 6.16 17. two saith he shall be one flesh so in a Covenant he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Those be high and glorious expressions which our Saviour useth in that heavenly Prayer John 17.21 22 23. That they may be all one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may know that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them That they may be one even as we are one I in thee and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one All one and one in us and one as we are one and made perfect in one These be expressions and priviledges of unspeakable worth and excellency and these are the fruits of a Covenant rightly struck between God and a People when both sides do it with all their heart and with all their soul as God himself renders it more then once or twice in Scripture I will be their God and they shall be my People Jere. â—4 7 c. 31 33. c. 30.22 c. 32.38 i. e. I will be to them what they can expect from a God and they shall be to me what I expect from a People All I am and have shall be for their good And all they are or have shall be for my glory and so the Spouse triumphs Cant. 2.15 chap. 6.3 I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine This is the first and main end of a Covenant 2 2. End And the second is like unto it which is to put an end to all strife Heb. 6.16 An Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife i. e. If here be any doubts or haesitations or diffidence on either side an Oath by the swearing party is or should be the removeall of that doubt or distrust whatsoever It should I say be so managed and entertained as that it should put the matter out of question to make all sure Whether it be in matters of fact de praeterito for the time past or engagements de futuro for the time to come so it is between God and man Man swears to God to secure God as it were that there shall â—e no more tergiversations or treacherous dealings as in times past Let us joyn in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten q. d. Other Covenants have been forgotten this shall never we will backslide no more break Covenant no more or rather a People or Person swear to God to secure themselves against themselves to prevent and shut the dore against all future sollicitations importunities and Temptations whatsoever That when any of their old Lovers should come and bespeck their affections they may be able to put them all by that there might be no possibility of yeelding or hearkning to the voyce of this Charmer charm he never so wisely while the soul may answer them all as sometime Jepthah did his daughter though with more warrant and lesse trouble of minde Judg. 11.35 I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back And with David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will performe it I will be as good as my word though I die for it That I will keep thy righteous judgements And again Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee I am not mine own to dispose of I have given my heart and my loves and my self unto another and I do not repent of what I have done if it were to do again I would do it and were I worth a thousand times more then I am he to whom I have sworn should have it all And so on the other side God swears to his People That â—s I may so say he may leave himself no possibility of recanting or recalling his word Heb. 6.13 Vers 16. if he had a minde to it The Apâ—stles expression hints such a kinde of supposition God when he could swear by no greater swore by himself Why That by two immutable things sc His Word and his Oath in which it was impossible for God to lye Impossible for him to lye A very strange expression As if God would lock up himself under an Oath from all possibility of lying or recalling the word out of his mouth he would not trust himselfe as if the Apostle should say with making a bare promise but claps an oath upon it also that so if be would yet he could not go back This seems to be implyed in this expression out the truth is though we need such bolts and locks to keep us from starting God doth not he hath as much and more mind to
I Conceive these three Sermons may be of much use for the promoting of the publike service in taking the late solemn Covenant both here and throughout the Kingdoms Decemb. 5. 1643. JOSEPH CARYL THE QUARRELL OF THE COVENANT WITH THE PACIFICATION OF THE QUARRELL Delivered in three SERMONS on Levit. 26.25 and Jere. 50.5 By Thomas Case Preacher of the Word in Milk-street LONDON And one of the Assembly of DIVINES 2 Chron. 23.16 And Iehojada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King That they should be the Lords people Nehem. 10.28 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 Sonnes and their Daughters every one having knowledge and having understanding They clave to their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord our Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes c. London Printed for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1644. To the Right Honourable John Lord Maitland and to the Reverend Master Alexander Henderson Master Samuel Rutherford Master Robert Baly and Master George Gellispe Commissioners of the generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the Assembly of Divines in England Noble and worthy Commissioners THis Covenant so unanimously so religiously entred into by the Honourable Houses of Parliament and Reverend Assembly Gods two faithfull Witnesses now in England as by your selves also was afterward sent to the City where amongst the rest of the Ministers I was to take my share in preparing the people The Work being so solemn and great I bethought my self how I might best serve this blessed Design The time gave me some advantage it falling in the course of my Ministry to preach thrice between the Warning and the Taking I engaged my thoughts distractions will hardly allow me to say Studies wholly upon this Work and blessed be God not without much encouragement The readinesse I found in the People to close with the invitation of God and Parliament expressing it self not onely in the multitudes but in the affections of them that offered themselves to this Service made visible in tears of joy Yet when I had Preacht my Sermons and admâ—â—â—â—â—red the Covenant I found I had not done my work Importunity prest me to make my thoughts publike and consulting with the neâ—â—sâ—itice of the multitudes of poor ignorant People that want a Teaching Minister while the Kingdom waits for the Covenant rather then with mine own unfitnesse I was not disobedient to the Motion I had rather appear in my weaknesse then â—nwillingnesse to serve the publike good Thousands of the poor untaught people will be glad of this help the knowing will not despise it if 〈◊〉 if otherwise they shall trouble themselves more then me And now Right â—â—noralde and Reverend These poor endeavours such as they are make hold to present themselves unto you Streams do naturally run back into the Bosom from whence they issued God hath pleased to â—onour your Nation in making them the First-fruits and Pattern of a Through 〈…〉 to Vs and all the rest of the 〈…〉 This Covenant received its first life in Scotland though it came to its first breathing in England You sent it not with more affection then it was entertained with gladnesse and joy by our Worthy Parliament and Learned Assembly and although with some small Additions yet such as did rather render it more it self then vary it I shall not need to beg your Patronage for my Self or Labours in promoting this Service The Oath of God is upon you whereby we are contented to confesse what in your patheticall Letter to our Assemblie you were pleased upon other respects to acknowledge That your Assistance is become your Debt To all that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuance thereof To the payment whereof Your selves are already come through a painfull and hazardous travell to joyn your Learned Assistance with our Faithfull Assembly to which your presence addes both strength and Ornament while Thousands of your Nation are preparing their Brotherly addresses to pay the same Debt to the whole Kingdom now almost in as great an exigence as once the Gibeonites were when their five Kings with all their united forces were within few dayes march to take a bloody and unnaturall revenge for their entring into Covenant with Joshua Onely We beseech you account it not our distrust or jealousie if sometime you hear us complaining with the Mother of Sisera Why are their Charrets so long in coming Why stay the Wheels of their Charrets We know the Mercy and Righteousnesse of Joshuah dwels in your Bosoms which cannot suffer you to deny or delay that Assistance to your Brethren whom you have invited into the League and Covenant of God upon so fair and honourable termes which Joshuah durst not deny unto the enemies of God and his people Because they had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel Josh 9.19 Although by a Serpentine wilienesse they had wound themselves into that Association Joshuahs Conscienciousnesse of that Obligation carried Him and his Army all night to the rescue of the Gileoniles Josh 10.9 And truely we doubt not but your â—endernesse of this Oath of God between England and Scotland had before this time brough in your prepared forces to the succour of your end â—ngered Brethren had not our Creature-considence unthankefulnesse and other hidden Remorâ—s hung at the Keel and Bottome of this Expedition The Searcher of Hearts and Father of Mercies discover and remove the accursed thing whatsoever it is That it may no longer obstruct their timely approach nor render it when it comes unanswerable to our fainting Expectations The Lord of Hosts bring in your Forces and come in with them his Terrour go before them and his Glory be their Rereward So shall they like a Mahanaim the Host of God be a dread to the Enemies a Reviving to the languishing hopes of Gods people and a powerfull means to assist our Parliament and Armies in the setling of that blessed Peace and Reformation for which both the Nations have Lifted up their Hands to the most High God Sirs In the midst of all these Calls and Expectations pardon and own me if I humbly claim my share for my Self and poor Endeavours both which he cordially devotes to yours and the Kingdoms service who is Yours In all Gospel Offices to honour and serve you THOMAS CASE To the Reader READER THe fears of unworthy Accommodations which have possest 〈…〉 Spirits God hath hitherto graciously prevented by the Wisedom and Piety of our worthy Senators in Parliament who yet have lest no stone unturned for the
keep his word then we have that he should But for our sakes for our sakes altogether is this written because of the unbelief of our bearts to secure our unbeleeving objecting spirits against all fear and jealousie of so much as a pâ—ssibility of going bâ—â—k from his word or failing of his promise and so indeed it is after expressed Vers 18. That by two immutable things by which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong Consolation c. To strengthen our weak hands and feeble knees and drooping spirits in the expectations and belief of the undoubted accomplishment of all his promises Now then Beloved Christians this being the end of Covenants and Oaths mutually between God and his People sc To Vnite and Secure the one to the other when a People or Person haffle or break with God after all this the end of the Covenant is frustrated and defrauded The bands are broken the security dissolved all falls in sunder as a bundle of Arrows when the bond is cut and then in comes fears doubts and jealousies which oft do no small mischief in the soul while they even take a poor People or Person Captive and spoil them of their precious treasure that they can hardly recover their former comforts or confidence again in a long time These breaches do so wound their spirits and shrink up their sinews I speak of the People of God themselves that with their Father Jacob they go halting peradventure to their very Graves And now look upon the Covenant under all these Aspects and Notions Of Nature Of Matter Of Forme Of Parties Of End And then you will easily be able to give an account Why Covenant-Violation should be a matter of so high a quarrell between God and a People in all the three kindes of it Contemptuous refusing Gracelesse prophaning Perfidious deceiving Not onely of the Covenant of God but of the God of the Covenant A People of Person mocking God and deluding themselves breaking with God and doing what they can to make God break with them and to break them all to peeces Now for the second Branch of the Doctrine The 2. Brand of the Doctrine This Quarrell God threatens to avâ—nge with the sword There be but two things which I need handle heer 1. De facto To shew How God hath made good this threatning in the dispensations of his providence and Justice by overtaking this sin of Covenant-Prophanation with this judgement of the sword and its concomitants 2. De jure To vindicate and assert Gods Justice in these dispensations of his by shewing the equity and righteousnesse of such proceedings But both these are done if not so fully as might be yet sufficiently already The Instances given of the sin in the very same places for the most part holding forth also examples of the Judgment besides so many other Instances in Scripture so known That who ever is not a stranger to his Bible may turn to them with a wet finger And the Demonstrations and Reasons that set forth unto you the greatnesse of the sin the highnesse of the quarrell do upon the very first view Vindicate and Justifie the Equity of Gods proceedings in avenging this sin and quarrell with so grievous a judgement as the sword And since the servants of God who have well weighed both in the ballance of the Sanctuary have acknowledged not onely the sin to have equalled the Judgement Thou art just O Lord in all that is come upon us Nehe. 9. Ezâ—a 9. But infinitely to have weighed it down our God hath punisht us lesse then our iniquities deserve This therefore shall suffice for the second Branch of this Doctrine and so we will improve the time that might be spent in the further proof and enlargement thereof in making Use of what hath been delivered already in that Doctrine Vse THe first Use that we may make of this sad truth may be according to the work of this day to discover to us what cause we have to afflict our souls and to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes before the Lord. For behold God is contending with this Kingdom by fire the fire of the sword so called often in the Scripture is sent upon us and marcheth through the breadth of the Land in the widest extent of the Kingdom even from the furthermost parts of the West to the uttermost parts of the North A Sword I say the worst of all Judgements witnesse the sad Catalogue of evills here that do accompany it ut supra yea a Civill Sword the worst of all Swords a Forraign Sword hits at randome But this knows whom to smite and where to make the deepest wounds Brother embrues his hands in the Brothers blood and a mans enemies are these of his own house and therefore the more enemies because of his own house No Quarrell so fierce no fewd so mortall as those are between the neerest relations when Coals of division are once kindled amongst them This Sword I say is drawn and much flesh it hath devoured already and drunk much precious blood Nationall blood Christian blood Fraternall blood while we cry to it as once Jeremiah did Jerem. 47.6 O thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet Put up thy self into thy Scabbord rest and be still But the Sword either gives us no Answer or such a one as follows there in the next verse How can I be quiet Seeing the Lord hath given me a charge against England Yea we may fear that God is saying concerning us as once to his Prophet Ezekiel concerning Israel Ezek. 21.9 10. A Sword a Sword is sharpned it is sharpned and also furbish'd T is sharpned to make a sore slaughter should we then make mirth No When God sends a Sword upon a People the times are times of mourning and not of merriment Read on else Vers 10. It contemneth the rod of my son as every tree Vers 11. And he hath given it to be furbished that it may be handled This Sword is sharpned and t is furbished to give it into the hand of the slayer Vers 12. Cry and howl son of man for it shall be upon my People it shall be upon all the Princes of Israel terrours by reason of the Sword shall be upon my People Smite therefore upon thy thigh Vers 13. Because it is a tryall and what if the Sword contemn the Rod The rod of God has been upon us the rod of a more inferior and gentle correction but it has done us no good Folly is so bound up in our hearts that it is not a rod of correction that will fetch it out We will not yet stoop nor submit unto the Government of Jesus Christ therefore we may fear that now the sword comes to contemn the rod to despise the rod saying as it were What does this silly Rod do here Will they not stoop Will they not put their neâ—ks under the yoak of Christ
Lord their God they shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And if you enquire when this should be The fourth Verse tells you In those dayes And if you ask again what dayes those are Interpreters will tell us of a threefold day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be fulfilled A threefold day of making good the Prophefie 1. The literall day That is The Literall or Inchoative Day That is The Evangelicall or Spirituall Day That is The Vniversall or Perfect Day First There is a literall or inthoative day here prophefied of and that is already past past long since Namely in that day wherein the seventy yeers of the Babylonian Captivity expired then was this Prophesie or Promise begun in part to be accomplished At what time the Captivity of Judah and divers of Israel with them upon their return out of Babylon Ezra 8.21 kept a folemn Fast at the River Ahava to afflict their souls before their God There may you see them going and weeping To seek of him aright way for them and their little ones There you have them Seeking the Lord and enquiring the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And when they came home you may hear some of their Nobles and Priests calling upon them to enter into Covenant so Shechoniah spake unto Ezra the Princes and the People Ezra 10.2 3. We have sinned against the Lord c. Yet now there is hope in Israel toucerning this thing Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God And so you may finde the Levites calling the people to confesse their sins with weeping and supplications in a day of humiliation and at the end of it to Write and Swear and Seal Nehe. 9.4 5. a Covenant with the Lord their God This was the first day wherein this Prophesie began to be fulfill'd in the very letter thereof The second day is the Evangelicall day 2 2 Day â—â—â—nge 〈◊〉 wherein this Promise is fulfilled in a 〈◊〉 or Spirituall sence Namely when the elect of God of what Nation or Language soever being all called the Israelâ—â— Gâ—â— Isal 44.5 as is Prophesied One shall say I am the Lorâ— is and 〈◊〉 shall call him 〈◊〉 by the name of Jacob c. and 〈…〉 by the Name of Israel I say when these in their severall Generations and successions shall turn to the Lord their God either from their Gentilisme and Pagâ—â—â— as in their first conversion to Christianity as 〈◊〉 oâ—serves after the Resurrection of Christ and Mission of the holy â—host A 〈…〉 exinde univerâ—â—s nationes ex veragâ—â—e 〈◊〉 humaniâ—â— gentâ—s ad Dominum Deum ad Dominum â—â—â—â—us câ—us From that day foreward you might behold poâ—r Creatures of all Nations and Languages creeping out of their dark holâ—â— and corners of blindnesse and Idolatry and betaking them to God and his Sâ—n Jesus Christ as to their Law-giver and Saviour or else turning from Antichristian superstition and false wayes of worship as in the after and more full conversion of Churches or Persons purging themselves more and more from the corruptions and mixtures of Popery and Superstitions according to the degree of light and conviction which should break out upon them and asking the way to Sion i. e. The pure way of Gospel Worship according to the fuller and cleerer Manifestations and Revelations of the minde of Christ in the Gospel This was fulfilled in Luthâ—â—s time and in all those after Separations which any of the Churches have made from Rome and from those Reliques and remains of Superstition and will-worship wherewith themselves and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ have been defiled The third day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be made good 3 3 Day Univerfall is that Vniversall day wherein both Jow and Gentile shall convert unto the Lord. That Day of the Restitution of all things as some good Devinâ—s conceive When ten men out 〈◊〉 all Lanâ—◠〈…〉 the Nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is Jew saying 〈◊〉 will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zâ—ch 8.23 And to what purpose is more fully exprest in the former Verses answering the Prophesie in the Text. Vers 20. Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cities Vers 21. And the Inhabitants of one Citie shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Vers 22. Yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and pray before the Lord. This I call the Vniversall day because as you see there shall be such an abundance of confluence of Citiâ—s and People and Nations combining together in an holy League and Covenant to seek the Lord. And a Perfect day because the minde and will of the Lord shall be fully revealed and manifested to the Saints concerning the way of Worship and Government in the Churches The New Jerusalem i. e. The perfect exact Ezek 43.11 12 13. Reve. 21.10 11. Isa 30.26 and punctuall Modell oâ— the Government of Christ in the Churches shall then be let â—own from Heaven The light of the Moon being then to be as the light of the Suâ— and 〈◊〉 light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and 〈…〉 of their wound By what hath been spoken you may perceive under which of these dayes we are Past indeed the first but not yet arrived at the third day and therefore under the second day that â—â—angelicall â—ay yet so as if all the three dayes were mâ—t together in ours while it seems to me that we are upon the dawâ—ing of the third day and this Prophesie falling so pat and full upon our times as if we were not got beyond the Literall a little variance will do it The children of Israel and the children of Judah Scotland and England newly coming out of Babylon Antichristian Babylâ—n Papall Tyranny and Vsurpations in one degree or other Going and weeping in the dayes of their solemn Humiliations bewailing their Back-slidings and Rebellions to seek the Lord their God to seek pardon and reconciliation to seek his face and favour not onely in the continuance but in the more full and sweet influentiall manifestations of his presence among them and to that end asking the way to Sion with their faces thitherward that is Enquiring after the pure way of Gospel worship with full purpose of heart that when God shall reveal his minde to them they will conforme themselves to his minde as according to that blessed Prophesie and Promise Isal 2.3 He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths c. And that they may make all sure That they may secure God and themselves against all future
God And it seems in the latter of those two Scriptures now quoted Eccl s 5.1 The Holy Ghost doth principally referre to this duty of making Vows and Covenants with God The second Verse doth intimate such a businesse Vers 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God To utter what The fourth Verse is expresse When thou makest a Vow unto God c. So that it is cleer the purpose of the Holy Ghost in that placeâ—s as in all our holy services so especially in this of Vows to caâ—tion all the people of God when they draw neer to utter their vows unto the Lord to manage it with the greatest deliberation and solidnesse of judgement that is possible to sit down and consider with our selves before hand With whom we have to deal What we have to do Vpon what warrant By what Rule To what end The lame and the blinde Mal 1 8. Gods soul hates for a Sacrifice the lame affections and the blinde ignorant Judgement And well he may for certainly they that do not swear in Judgement will not cannot swear in Righteousnesse They that do not make their vows in Judgement will not cannot pay or performe them in Righteousnesse He that swears he knows not what will observe he cares not how Incogitant making will end in unconsciâ—nable breaking of Covenant and if need be in a cursed abjuration of it for rash swearing is a precipice to forswearing And therefore if any of you have not well weighed this service or be any wayes insatisfied in whole or in parts I advise you to forbear till your judgements be better informed What soever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14.23 Provided That this be not done meerly in a pretence to evade and elude this service to which God and the two Nations call you as heer in the Text. Come let us joyn c. Take heed of casting a mist of willing prejudice 2 Per 3 5 and affected ignorance before your own eyes such the Apostle speaks of to no other purpose but that your Malignity may steal away in that mist undiscovered for be sure your sinne will finde you out An ingenuous ignorance and truely conscientious tendernesse is accompanied with an ingennous and conscientious use of all means for information and satisfaction and to such I make no question The Ministers of Christ will be ready to communicate what light they have for resolving doubts removing scrupills and satisfying conscience when soever you shall make your addresses for that purpose In the mean time if there be any that under pretence of unsatisfiednesse do shun the duty and information too they will be found but to mock God and Authority to whose Justice and Wisedom therefore I must leave them Gods tells his people when he joyns himself to them Hos 2 20. I will marry thee to my self in Righteousnesse and Judgement How in Judgement Because God considers what he does when he takes a people or person to himself not that God chuseth for any wealth or worth in the Creature Faith foreseen or Works foreseen but that finding it on the contrary poor and beggerly and undone and foreseeing what it is like to prove crooked and froward unteachable and untractable he sits down to speak after the manner of men and considers what course to take and what it is like to cost him to make them such a people as he may delight in and then consulting with his treasures and finding he hath wherewith all to bear their charges and to bring about his own ends he resolves to take them and marry them to himself whatsoever it cost him The result of such a confultation you may read dropt from Gods own Pen And I said How shall I put thee among the children and give thee 〈◊〉 asant Land a goodly Heritage the Hosts of Nations Jerâ— 3.19 Here is Gods wise deliberation upon the matter How 〈◊〉 I put thee c That is how shall I do this but I must do it to mine own dishonour for I see before hand what thou wilt prove thou wilt be the same that ever thou wast as Idolatrous as adulterous as unstable as backsliding as ever c. It is not a â—leasant Land a goodly Heritage that will make thee better Well after some pause God was resolved what to do And I said hear his resolution Thou shalt call me my Father and shalt not turn away from me That is as if he had said I will take this course with thee I will first give thee the heart of a childe thou shall call me my Father and then I will give thee the inheritance of a childe a goodly heritage c. and when I have done I will not leave thee to thy self but I will knit thee to my self by an indissoluble union Isai 59.21 I will put my spirit into thee c. And thou shalt not turn away from me There is Gods wife Resolution He resolves to do all himself and then he is sure it will not fail his expectation he undertakes it Thou shall call me my father and shall not turn away from me Thus God when he marrieth his people to himself doth it in Judgement Now therefore Eph 5.1 Be ye followers of God as dear children And since you come now about the Counter-part of the same work namely to joy or marry your selves to God do it in Judgement Consider well what you do And among other things since you are so poor and nothing in your selves as you have seen in the openining of this precious Scripture Jerem. 3.19 Bethink your selves where you will have strength and sufficiency to make good this great and solemn engagement with your God But of this more hereafter I proceed to the second qualification or direction Secondly The second Qualification Holy fear See that you come to this service with a Reverentiall frame of Spirit with that Holy fear and awe upon your hearts as becomes the greatnesse and holinesse of that God and that Ordinance with whom you have to do remembring that you are this day to swear before God by God to God either of which singly considered might justly make us fear and tremble How much more may this threefold cord bow and binde our hearts down in an humble and holy prosternation It is said of Jacob he sware by the fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31.53 Jacob in his Oath chuseth this title of Fear to give unto God to shew with what fear he came but to swear by this God what should we do when as I say we come to swear by him and to him Surely when he is so especially the object of our Oath he should then especially be the object of our fear The consideration of that infinite distance between God and us may wonderfully advantage us towards the getting of our hearts into this holy posture Great is that distance that