purposeth a speedy returne she is privy to her precedent rebellion now she vowes though a sudden yet a true not a fained reformation she is conscious that she hath provoked the eyes of his glory she now promiseth not againe to offend but in every duty to please his Majesty and in all her endeavours to promote his honour And because she would not be fickle but keepe fast bound to her word she enters into a serious and a solemn oath She sweares in truth for now seeing her selfe in the glasse of the Law she beholds her sinnes as so many spots neither is her purpose meerely formall but reall for cleansing nor her intention hypocriticall but sincere for the removall of the evill of her doings from before the Lord so that her oath is not devoyd of truth Secondly she considers what she binds her selfe from viz. her former Idolatries and what she engageth her selfe unto viz. to walke in spirit and truth in the presence of Jehovah so that she sweares in judgement Thirdly her oath is in righteousnesse for as she sweares to please God so that she may please him she sweares onely obedience to his commands Observat Wee may vow against Sin we may swear obedience unto God Wee may vow against sinne we may sweare obedience unto God I thinke Saul did not ill in swearing that David should not be slaine when Ionathan asked him VVherefore he would sinne against innocent bloud to kill him without a cause 1 Sam. 19.56 neither did Iob offend protesting his innocency and attesting his sincerity by a solemne oath As God liveth who hath taken away my judgement and the Almighty who hath vexed my soule all the while my breath is in me and the Spirit of God is in my nostrills my lips shall not speake wickednesse nor my tongue utter deceit Iob 27.2 3 4. Thus did Asa with his people 2 Chro. 15.14 And this is the present act of these Israelites with their Nobles Isaiah Prophesying of the conversion of the Gentiles saith That they shall sweare by the God of truth Isai 65.16 What are we but Gentiles nay doe we not professe our selves to be converted Gentiles Why doe we then still sit in sinne by consent lye in it by working it and by continuall custome sleepe in it as upon a bed of Downe Let us now awake and stand up from the dead let it be seene that our eyes are in our head to fore-see sinnes misery and to hide our selves that our heart is at our right hand to withstand temptation and with violent blowes to keepe off insinuating and ensnaring corruption and that we are not rash in making of vowes Let it appeare that deliberatenesse hath curb'd rashnesse by a solemne oath against the evill of our wayes And to this end consider Reasons First that naturally since the fall of Adam the Port-all of thy heart is very weake Sathan ever and anon makes it his inrode to infect thy spirit it stands in need of a strong bar A strict oath for ought I know is one of the best barrs wherewith thou maist bolt him out 2. An oath wil penetrate and make a deeper impression than a promise upon thy soul It wil be as a spur continually in thy sides to put thee on to act that whereunto thou hast engaged thy selfe After the children of Israel had sworne to come up to the Lord in Mizpeh and that whatsoever he was that did not vouchsafe his presence should be put to death When they were assembled the thoughts of their oath put them upon diligent inquest after the persons that had absented themselves they must needs for their oath sake looke strictly to them and therefore they cry out Who is there among all the Tribes of Israell that came not up with the congregation unto the Lord c. Judg. 21.5 And when the Benjamites after they had vowed against them lay still as a bait before them for being amongst them they were a daily object of their eye yet their oath kept them to their precedent promise made unto the Lord though they dwelt with them yet they would not marry their daughters unto them And therefore as to accuse themselves so to shew that oathes make an impresse upon the conscience with one voyce they give out this expression Though there must be an inheritance for them that be escaped of Benjamin that a Tribe bee not destroyed out of Israell yet we may not give them wives of our daughters for we have sworne the contrary Iudg. 21.17.18 Promises for the most part with some are but as morning dewes when as a solemne oath is as a great raine that sinkes downe and is long seene upon the earth they are many times not so soone spoken but so soone forgotten when oathes ring in the eares and will be observed presse upon the soule and will not be kept out What is the reason that after so many vowes to God not onely in the dayes of distresse but upon the receipt of mercies you have againe corrupted your selves with your owne devices surely had you sworne as well as promised you would not like broken bowes have started from the Lord. Sauls subjects being sworne not to eate untill the evening though the Hony dropt they durst not put their hands to their mouthes for feare of the oath 1 Sam. 14.26 As there is glory so there is dread in the rayes of Majesty a remisse and a carelesse creature will remember himselfe what he should doe in the presence of his Prince God hath stampt a Majesty and power upon a solemne oath Quest But what shall I doe that swearing I may sweare aright both for God and against my sins Answ First be sure that sin and thy affections be at a distance that the league that was formerly betwixt them is quite broken that the loues of Christ are better than wine to the taste of thy soul and that because that thy heart is united to the God of Heaven that therefore thou art afraid to offend him For he that sweares against sin and yet doth not detest but love sin and sweares obedience unto God and hath not a spirituall panting and braying after God doth not deale fairely hee hath two faces under one hood he doth but dissemble with the Lord he sweares not truly that feares not God unfainedly Deut. 6.13 Paul is certaine that he serves God in the spirit before he call him to witnesse his actions Rom. 1.9 Secondly doe this deliberately considering sins sinfullnesse and strictly viewing the beauties of holinesse inconsiderate vowes are soone broken therefore be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles 5.2 Thirdly looke at thy call to thy oath a good call is a good warrant we must not be Knights of the Post By frequency and forwardnesse we must not give out suspition that wee are prodigall of our owne credit and of our owne salvation Prophane wretches
reprove them rebuke them drive them by the sight of sin with your owne president to see a necessity as a chiefe preservative of an especiall covenant that so they being ingaged to God and in that ingagement apprehensive of their owne mercy they may rejoyce that though they were brands they are now pluckt out of the fire that though they were aliens to God yet now by a religious covenant they have entered into a sweet communion with the Lord. Sixtly you are or at least should be the Chariots and the horsemen of Israel carry them up speedily with a swift motion by your prayers to Heaven looke upon our crying sins with a bleeding heart for the Vine of England is as the Vine of Sodome and the grapes of our Nation doe wholly resemble the clusters of Gomorrah view our lamentable distractions with mournefull affections see see wrath is gone forth and the plague is begun Justice is incensed and we turne our backes upon our adversaries jealousie is kindled and the sword is almost drunke with the bloud of the slaine your neighbours houses are on fire for shame sit not still bring prayers as waters and poure them on as fast as you can that you may slake the burnings doe not stand gazing about you it is time for you to be up and be doing unlesse you meane that all our soules shall faint because of the murderers the banners of Gods displeasure are displayed and now like a man of warre hee hath begun to strike the stroake yea the sword already reacheth to the very heart O doeth not our land cry out as sometime Hierusalem did woe is come upon me because that I have sinned doth shee not bemoane her selfe unto you daily asking you if you have no pitty if your hearts bee wholly shut up in obduracy me thinkes these expressions should set you to your prayers oh then if you will be accounted the Ministers of the Lord weepe between the Porch and the Altar and say Spare thy people O Lord questionlesse these Priests joyned with their Nobles as well in prayers as in covenant for the Church Lastly be not averse to take this binding and obliging vow uppon your selves these Priests and Levites have observed its equity taken notice of its necessity and found it the sole remedy for the curing of their sores they doe not scruple it our case is as bad if not worse then theirs why are you shie bind your selves with a curse and an oath with the people to stand out against Popery and in spirit and truth to serve the Lord. This will be a good incentive to your hearers if you goe before they will the willinglier follow after your forwardnesse will make many to come in who otherwaies it may be will still stand out to lift up their hands against Heaven you see this in effect in these Priests and in this people who in this very particular Cleave unto their brethren the Nobles The Porters A Potter is a Doore-keeper which hath authority to admit Observat 1. Every Christian a porter to his own heart and let in and out of the house where his charge is such were Obed Edom the sonne of Ieduthun and Hosah in the daies of David to the house of the Lord 1 Chr. 16.38 These were to let in the Iewes not they that contemned their worship these were to keep out the uncleane not they that were cleansed according to the Sanctuary the true Israelites were to be admitted but the idolatrous heathens were by them to be excluded Every Christian must be a Porter to his owne heart whatsoever he is that covenants with God must looke narrowiy to himselfe have a watchfull eye over his spirit and with all diligence keepe his soule that wicked lusts vile affections and vaine thoughts get not in at the doore of his heart these will make hubbubs in this spirituall Temple these will disturb and strike with violence at the sanctifying motions of the blessed Spirit these like the strong man armed will so keepe possession that godlinesse shall get no entrance without strugling and much disturbance these are ill guests where they come in they pretend friendship but intend mischiefe they pay no reckoning they are cheaters they doe but deceive the creature with the counterfeit silver of sinfull pleasures these are like drunken and deboyst strangers who by vomit easing their stomacks leave nothing but stinch loathsome filth and noysome savours in the roome behind them A Sparrow pursued by a Hawk fled into the bosome of Xenocrates he refused to put it out saying it is a dishonest thing to betray a guest D ogen in vit Doe not thou thus kindly deale with thy sins it is not inhumanity to refuse them it is a piece of the best policy forth-with to expell them Let lusts accuse thee of discourtesie better they complaine than thou bleed for sin is the soules murderer therefore O Hierusalem wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou maist be saved how long shall thy soule like an Inne and thy heart like a Harlot harbour corruption We must not be fickle constancy must crowne our actions Observat 2. POrters are continuall attendants they wait daily at the Gates depart not from their service 2 Chro. 35.15 we must not be fickle like Lots wife we must not looke back to Sodome there must be constancy in all our vowes it is dishonesty with man but impiety to breake with the Lord thou must not vow and not pay but as without delaies so constantly thou must pay thy vowes Call to mind thy first vow remember all thy promises and selfe engagements unto God in the late daies of thy humiliation be not unfaithfull doe not like a broken bow start from them thou canst never lose by keeping touch with the Lord of Heaven These Porters leave not their Places because of a covenant like idle drones prophane seers and atheisticall wretches they steale not away leave their charge take up armes and desert their Nobles because of a strict tye unto Gods service They were Porters before and they are Porters still now they are content to doe more than formerly they did they will keep the doore of the Temple and withall looke carefully to the gate of their owne heart lest at any time it should run out and depart from the living God They are not friends to them that hate peace favourites to them that delight in warre they take no pleasure in the tents of Kedar they desire yet to be doore-keepers in the house of the Lord for now as Porters they take the covenant with their Nobles Austerity and magnanimity become the Professors of Christianity POrters for the most part are men of a sterne countenance Observat 3. men of strength and men of couragious spirits for that sometimes they may meet with resistance Austerity and magnanimity doe well become the professors of Christianity we cannot looke too sternely uppon our lusts we cannot be too strong
often rap out oathes against their sins and yet doe considering what they have done and what they should doe forthwith double both their sins and their Oathes If Israels Nobles first ordaine it take it and subscribe it she hath then good ground to accept it we have a faire call our Worthies are gone before us let their President be our encouragement they propound it to us and require the taking of it at our hands we shall resist authority in their publique call if we take not the Oath against our sins Gratum est deo qâ—um videt non sponte donuo confirmare votis nostris que ante c. 2 Chro. 15.15 Fourthly doe it cheerefully not unwillingly doe it freely in taking it expresse alacrity Forced service is not pleasing service constrained obedience neither with God nor man receives acceptance It is said of Iudah that they all rejoyced at this oath could we doe thus and sweare with all our hearts against our lusts seeking the Lord with our whole desires we should have more hope than wee yet have that God would bee found of us and that in stead of our feares and present distractions in respect of our bloudy warres he would give us rest round about us Fiftly if thou doe it doe it without any reservation take it against every sin and by it bind thy selfe to all the duties of Pietie whatsoever one dead flie spoiles the whole oyntment one sin reserved one duty left out and secretly excepted by thee will make thee guilty of perjury before the Lord. For tell me I appeal to thy conscience canst thou swearing to keep all Gods Statutes willingly commit the least sin or with selfe allowance omitt any duties and not falsifie thy oath Lastly be not onely resolved of the Lawfulnesse of it in respect of the authority that imposeth it and the subject matter of the same neither be thou onely perswaded of its necessity as it is a heavy weight to depresse thy corruptions and as it is a strong bar to keep in thy soule from stragling Dinah-like in the way of transgression but in taking it avoyd wavering for as whatsoever is not of faith is sin So a wavering minded man is unstable in all his wayes I oppose wavering to constancie be thou resolute ever to keep it resolve peremptorily with thy selfe never to be found guilty of the breach thereof Thus doe these Nobles thus doe these Israelites and thus observing these rules in thy oath for God and against thy sins thou shalt sweare in verity not falsely in judgment not rashly in righteousnes and not wickedly To walke in Gods Law THeir own fancies shal not now be the rule of their actions Observat Gods Statutes the Christians way the hethenish practises of wicked Idolaters shall not now be the helm with which they will steere the course of their lives their doings shall be such as will endure the touchstone it is to the Law and to the Testimony that they goe for direction And no marvaile for a conscionable walking according to Gods will and exact observance of his sacred Statutes is the christians way the Saints path and the onely high road that leades to eternall life I have gone astray saith David like a lost sheep seeke thy servant for I do not forget thy Commandements Psal 110.176 Peccare est deviare whilst men sin they straggle whilst they yield unto their vile affections they deviate from the Lords Statutes VVhich was given That which was given is still continued for as there is a freenesse so there is a constancy in all Gods mercies God is not as man that he should repent the gifts and calling of God are without repentance It was mercy not merit that brought her the Law the cause moving was in the bestower not the receiver she was as well as others in the bloud of her sins she before God cast an eye of pitty upon her Observat The Law an effect of Gods love unwashed unbathed unswadled as well as the Heathen The Law and the continuance of the Law is an effect of Gods love Because he affected her he chose her from amongst the Nations and further to testifie his love to her hee pluckt up the floud-gates and let forth the streames of the Law unto her that so shee might cleanse her selfe from all uncleanenes whatsoever He sheweth his World unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not knowne them Psal 147.19 20. By Moses the servant c. This title is as a glittering Diamond upon Moses breast it is not so base a thing as the world accounts it to bee the Lords servant Gods service is the Christians honour not his disgrace The Jewes doe not thus stile him in any disparagement their thus calling him tends wholly to his praise Socrates reports of Constantinus Valentinianus and Theodosius three renowned Emperours in their times that they called themselves Vassallos Christi the vassals of Jesus Christ Looke at it therefore as one of the fairest flowers in thy garden that God hath entertained thee into his worke glory not in thy wealth thy friends thy preferments that man onely hath the Crowne and the cause of daily rejoycing that can say unto God Lord I am thy servant Deo servire regnare est To observe and doe all c. GOds revealed Will is here set forth by foure severall termes Law Commandements Judgements Statutes it is a Law for it hath a legislative power to bind over the soule to exact obedience none may plead Ignoramus all are bound to looke that they have the knowledge of the same It is a command we are intrusted with it faithfully to observe it it is a statute for as it is prescribed and appointed so it containes the whole duties of our lives It is a judgement for as there is involved in it the judgement and judiciall sentence of Almighty God concerning its equity for our observance so it will judge us at the last day in case of contempt and negligence As it is a Law it is worthy to be read as it is a Command it is not to be slighted as it is a statute it must be the rule of our life And as it is a judgement we may see what it thinkes of our waies and what shall be our censure for the breach thereof There is none of all this but Israel seemes to take notice of and to witnesse the Universality of her respect she vowes and promiseth obedience unto all Christians must not be their owne Carvers they must not picke and chuse they must not take what they please Observat Gur obedience must bee universall and leave what they list in the worke of the Lord they must yeeld obedience and shew a like tender respect unto the all Commandements of Jehovah Was not this the lecture which Moses read unto his people when he told them If