state by delayes your own guilt will be multiplied and greatened your hopes of reformation will be enfeebled and the whole Kingdom endangered Businesses of necessity call for quick dispatch and is there any worke of greater concernment then the worke of your God in endeavouring your own reformation and the reformation of his Church according to his word which is the matter of your Covenant I remember the words of Moses to Aaron Go quickly to the Congregation for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun Num. 16. 46. And it is said that Aaron did run Blame me not but bear with me I beseech you if I appear warme in perswading your speed in acting according to your Covenant for I speak for the safety of a sinking Kingdom Are we not all on a flame which way can you cast your eyes but you shall see the sparkes of unbrotherly contentions rising as out of a furnace Alas alas we shall burne into ashes and from confusions fall into a ruinous heape if through Gods blessing upon Covenant-keeping-endeavours our misery be not prevented Pay your vows boldly with so much opennesse that the witnesse of your bonds may be witnesses likewise of your faithfullnesse Rule 3. in discharging them The resolution of David is herein imitable which he expresseth once and again in the same Psalme I will pay my vows unto the Lord in the presence of all his people in the presence of all his people yea in the midst of thee O Jerusalem Psal 116. 14 18 19. Is it any shame for a man to be honest and to pay his debts Wherefore then should men be loth to appear in the pursuance of their Covenants Act so publikely so couragiously for a full reformation according to the word of God and against Malignancy Sedition Heresie together with all other things destructive to the welfare of the three Kingdoms that both City and Countrey may understand your undaunted resolutions to keep Covenant with your God And if in this way of zeal and faithfullnesse you should meet with checks and affronts make ye that answer unto your opposers which brave-spirited David made unto mocking Michal If this be to be vile I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6. Keep Covenant with the Lord conscientiously Have respect unto God in paying as in making vows My text holds forth this Rule 4. openly as many other parallel Scriptures which I have formerly made use of Whatsoever we do which is materially comprehended in our Covenant we should do it because of the oath of God Eccles 8. 2. Do not only intend man-pleasing or selfe-seeking in the pursuance of your Covenant be not popular and vain-glorious but sincere and single-hearted in this service As in other acts of obedience so in this of Covenant-keeping have an eye unto your heavenly father who sees in secreet and he will reward you openly God forbid God forbid that any one of you should act against your brethren with an envious or malicious spirit under pretence of making good your Covenant O take heed unto your selves that you disgrace not this holy ordinance nor open the mouths of them who maligne our Covenant and would upon such like observations reproachfully asperse both you and it I will conclude this rule with the caution given by worthy Nehemiah Ought ye not to walke in the fear of our God because of the reproach of our enemies Neh. 5. 9. Be vigorous in the payment of your vows The command of Rule 5. God given unto Moses for the guiding of this businesse is here very considerable Leâ— 22. 21. Whosoever offereth a sacrifice to accomplish his vow it shall be perfect to be accepted there shall be no blemish in it When you pay your debts to God bring your best coyn put not off your light gold to God imploy and improve your very best for your God give him the flower of your wisedom strength authority and interests sit down and consider where your chiefest ability lyes and resolve with that to pay your vows Say thus unto your own souls seriously in secret I will beat mine own brains by study I will stir up my best friends by importunity and I will industriously take all courses within the compasse of my generall and particular calling that my selfe and my family that this Church and Common-wealth may be reformed and that unity betwixt England and Scotland may be preserved according to the solemne League and Covenant to quicken your care in this kinde remember those smart words Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver who hath a male in his flock and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of hosts and my Name is dreadfull among the heathen Look to it therefore I beseech you thinke not to put God off with supine superficiall sleightnesse in Covenant-keeping If you have male-consolations male-affections male-endeavours male-adventures for other things God will not accept your female your cold faint feeble actings for him in the payment of your vows Therefore if you have any talent better then ordinary trade that for your God in the pursuance of your Covenant Keep Covenant with the Lord constantly I will sing praises Rule 6. to thy Name for ever saith David that I may daily performe my vows Psal 61. 8. you must not be like those Tenants who bring in their rents readily and misse not a day for the first year but grow carelesse afterward in making paiment according to their compacts and agreements The same heat which is in your hearts to day this day of your Covenant-renewing for reformation according to Gods word and against the hindrances and hinderers thereof must be kept burning in your bosomes so long as you shall live It is to be bewailed with tears of blood that the tract of time takes off the fervency of mens spirits for God in the worke of vowed-reformation How have we lost our first love How is our zeal for good and against evil of late abated The time was when our Covenant was much in our thoughts much in our mouthes when we moved others and provoked our selves to make conscience to keep it but now I am ashamed to speake it our Covenant is forgotten our Covenant is laid aside yea O that I had not occasion to add many repent their taking of the Covenant and some are not afraid to plead against it I heartily wish that the true causes of this great change were well enquired after My beloved Is Church-reformation according to Scripture grown lesse desireable Are pure ordinances lesse lovely in our eyes Is there now lesse danger of our undoing by malignancy popery divisions and heresie then heretofore Remember I pray you from whence you are fallen and do your first works in reference to your Covenant the obligation whereof continues upon your consciences Our God keeps Covenant to a thousand generations Deut. 7. 9. Let his example in
them to hear prayers and to performe promises for their preservation and welfare in every kinde who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God in all things that we call upon him for Deu. 4. 7. Thirdly the call unto this imployment I shall note under a five fold providence from the Lord. 1. Sinfull defections from God that by means of religious vowing his backsliding people might be recovered Our fathers have trespassed and done that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and have forsaken him and have turned away their face from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs Also they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps and have not burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel Now it is in my heart saith Hezekiah to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 29. 6 7 10. Thus likewise the people of God resolved in the dayes of Ezra We have trespassed against our God c. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God Ezra 10. 2 3. 2. Sad discoveries of divine displeasure that by holy covenanting present judgements might be removed and future evils prevented The wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment and to hissing as ye see with your eyes For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this Now it is in mine heart saith Hezekiah to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turne away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 9 10. 3. Famous experiences of Gods goodnesse that by the right use of religions vows his Majesty may be praised and his providences improved The exhortation in the Text was grounded upon some such occasion as many verses in the Psalme declare The stout-hearted are spoiled they have slept their sleep and none of the men of might have found their hands ver 5. At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead-sleep ver 6. When God arose in judgement to save all the meek of the earth ver 8. Hence follows vow and pay c. Interpreters judge that this Psalm was penned upon Ashurs overthrow whereupon many brought gifts unto the Lord unto Jerusalam 2 Chron. 32. 23. according to the advice given in the words immediatly following the Text Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared 4. Defective improvements if any improvements at all of Gods favourable administrations that by foederall engagements his people might be bettered These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses c. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes even in the land of Egypt c. The great temptations and those great miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29. 1 2 3 4. This is propounded as one ground of the Covenant renewed whereof we reade in the following verses 5. Apparent danger of seduction and departure from God In this regard Gods servants have afresh obliged themselves to his Majesty for their own establishment and preservation Ye stand this day before the Lord to enter into covenant with the Lord thy God lest there should be amongst you any whose heart turneth away from the Lord Deut. 29. 10 12 18. V se 1 The application of this point followeth which serves in the first place to informe you of your call to covenant-renewing the intended service of this day For give me leave to appeal unto your consciences Right Honourable right Worshipfull and much respected Citizens whether all the five fore-mentioned particulars do not fully reach you and take hold upon you both in respect of Gods dealings with you and your miscarriages towards him since you at first took the solemne League and Covenant And here I shall make bold to propound unto you some short interrogatories under the five fore-mentioned heads to which I wish your hearts may returne answers as in the presence of the All-knowing God First Are you not guilty of sinfull declinings in a great degree from your former engagements unto the Lord Have you not lost your first love Have not the matters of Gods house been much sleighted and neglected Hath not your care to preserve the truth of Religion from corruption been much abated Have you not connived at the spreading of pernicious errours in this City Hath not your zeal against schisme and sinfull separations from our Church Assemblies been very much cooled Is not your love towards our Brethren of Scotland in a great measure lessened Have not your vigorous endeavours to promote the setling of Christs government in our Congregations been wofully diminished And have you not been lamentably wanting in labouring the thorow reformation of your selves and families Which of you hath striven to exceed to excell others in advancing the power of godlinesse in your conversation Doubtlesse these and such like backslidings from former engagements may well warrant your Covenant-renewing with your God Secondly None of you can be ignorant of the manifold manifest discoveries of Gods heavy displeasure against this poor trembling Kingdom Hath not the Lord delivered us up unto trouble and astonishment by his severe administrations How many thousands have fallen by the sword of cruell war What wofull desolations are made in many Towns yea Counties in this Kingdom by the prevailing pitilesse enemies And should not we read Gods wrath against our selves in the abundance of blood which hath been shed and the unhappy spoils which have been made in Scotland and Ireland Besides all this I pray you consider whether these things do not proclaim and speak alowd Gods anger Our long looked for reformation in matters of Religion is still deferred our hopes of the much-needed and much-desired Discipline of Jesus Christ are still disappointed the miserable rents and divisions in families Congregations Cities and Counties by reason of different yea contrary opinions and practices in wayes of Religion are wonderfully increased And have we not in these regards reason to renew our Covenant that the wrath of the Lord may be turned from us Thirdly God hath often remembred us in our low estate because his mercy endureth for ever Who can recount Gods many marvellous works for our safety and comfort Have not our deliverances been wonderfull and many of our victories little lesse then miraculous How often hath the subtiil enemy been infatuated the strong enemy weakned and great Armies broken by a little strength I shall not need here to minde you of the many wonders which Gods Almighty hand hath wrought for us both in the Northerne and Westerne parts And as for this City how admirably and unexpectedly hath it been preserved and provided for in every kinde by the Lord
How many oppressions are we freed from by Parliamentary authority through the goodnesse of our God Therefore besides other presents of praise which God deserves at our hands we have just occasion to present our selves unto his Hignesse by Covenant-renewing Fourthly Notwithstanding our various and glorious experiences of Gods patience and goodnesse Have we not too much cause thus to complain that to this day we want hearts to husband Gods remarkable providences to his honour and our own advantage Who loves God more or who serves him better because of the great things he hath done for us Is our faith in Gods promises stronger Is our fear of Gods displeasure greater Are we more zealous for the Lord of Hosts or more couragious for his truth against errour Dare we say that we do our utmost for the speeding of Church-reformation that we may not be over-run and undone by Sects Schismes and confusions Therefore certainly we have a call to renew our Covenant to quicken our improvement of Gods gracious providences both to his praise others profit and our own further comfort in Christ Fiftly and lastly That we may not fall from our stedfastnesse we have need to binde our selves yet further unto our God by solemne Covenant Men are wont as I have heard to hoop their vessels with iron bonds in which they carry their stronger liquors beyond seas that by the tossings in the ship and the liquors working the vessels may not be broken into pieces and the liquor lost And have not we more need to add the bond of a solemne Covenant to the bond of Gods sacred commands that we may not be broken from one another nor divided from God in his truths and holy worships in these broken erroneons stormy tempestuous times For 1. Emulation variance strife seditions heresies are reckoned Gal. 5. up by the Apostle amongst the works of the flesh unto which our corrupt natures do strongly dispose us 2. There are more then a good many of subtle busie factours in this City to promote errours schismes and factions of severall sorts to draw disciples after them and to spread their infection amongst people of all rankes and qualities 3. It is apparent by too many instances that divers persons both wise and godly have been deceived and drawn aside from the wayes of truth into the by-paths of errour and schisme and into practices of bitternesse I will not say of how many kindes against their brethren Therefore in this respect as in those before mentioned you have just cause to say one to another Come let us joyn our selves unto the Lord in a Covenant never to be forgotten Vse 2 Having thus far endeavoured to clear up your call unto Covenant-renewing I now proceed by way of exhortation to perswade your regular and reverentiall cautiousnesse in this weighty businesse Consider the glorious Majesty of God unto whom vows are to be made He ought to be feared as our translation renders the words following the Text or He is fear as the Originall hath it In which phrase we have Nomen affectus pro objecto God is a dreadfull and terrible Majesty And this doubtlesse is added to awe mens hearts in the undertaking of such like services The advice of Solomon upon this ground is more open Eccles 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon earth In which counsell the wise man hath speciall reference unto vowing as the following words declare Now for your guidance in this great service I will give you briefly some plain and necessary rules 1. You must Covenant knowingly It is thus openly expressed of them who covenanted in the dayes of Nehemiah Every one having knowledge and having understanding they clave to their brethren they entred into an oath to walke in Gods Law Neh. 10. 29. Ignorance doth nothing well the light of knowledge must guide our whole course And in this businesse of a sacred vow it is necessary that men know both the nature of the duty and the matter of the federall engagement No man should be moved by an implicite faith but every one should be fully perswaded in his own minde For as in other cases so in this whatsoever is not of faith is sin 2. Repentance for former offences must precede and prepare for Covenant-renewing Thus it was with those who sealed and subscribed the solemne Covenant in the time of Nehemiah for they assembled themselves to keep a religious Fast as we do this day before they entered into the Covenant Neh. 9. 1. In which exercise deep sorrow for sin was expressed their particular evils were aggravated and largely confessed themselves were judged and God was justified in his severe administrations All these expressions of repentance are manifest in that 9th Chapter of Nehemiah which then was the introduction to the Covenant And doubtlesse if we do not penitently bewail our former violations of Gods commands and our own vows we cannot with acceptation to God or with comfort in our own hearts renew our Covenant with him this day 3. Your hearts must go along with your vows It is said â— Chron 15 15 That all Judah did swear with all their hearts And God will not take up with lesse at our hands this day It is no better then hypocrisie to lift up hands before God when the heart is far from him We must in our judgements approve and resolve upon the payment of our vows and all our affections both concupiscible and irascible must be upon the wing according to the various particularities expressed in the Covenant The soul should with love joy and longings worke towards the speedy setling of Church-governement according to the word of God and towards the maintaining of brotherly union between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland together with the more full reformation of our selves and families And O how should your souls now rise in holy dislike in the hatred of and in indignation against Popery and all profanenesse against Heresies Schisme detestable Neutrality and whatsoever else it is which is against God and the wellfare of these Kingdoms 4. Our Covenanting must be accompanied with humility 1. From the sense of our own weaknesses to keep touch with God in comming up fully to the Covenant we should lean to his promise and take hold on his strength Say as the Church Through God we shall do valiantly Psal 60. 11. And as the blessed Apostle did Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Jesus Christ strengthening me 2. And being apprehensive of our own unworthinesse to receive any ability from the Lord seeing by our sins we have enfeebled our own spirits therefore we should humbly petition for divine assistance Herein imitate David who having thus in resolution and promise expressed himself before God I will keep thy statutes he immediatly adds O forsake me not utterly Psal 119. 8. The more of the
multitude of all rankes qualities callings in this Kingdom in Scotland Parliament-men Souldiers Citizens Divines c. who are herein mutually engaged with us I might also minde you of the often reiterations and renewings of your vows and Covenants Doubtlesse these things will not be sleighted by them who are ingenuous but I may not insist upon them having divers other heads of arguments to speak unto The second sort of arguments to perswade Covenant-keeping shall be taken from our God the only true and blessed God unto whom our vows oblige us And under this head these particulars are considerable 1. His Majesty takes exact notice of all such engagements together with all the circumstances of time place companies occasions c. which belong thereto O God thou hast heard my vows saith David Psal 61. 5. 2. His Highnesse well remembers these obligations The Lord rounds Jacob in the ear with this Memento I am the God of Bethel where thou anointest the pillar and where thou vowest a vow unto me Gen. 31. 13. 3. He calls for paiment he will not be taken off from demanding his debt in this kinde When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee Deut. 23. 21. 4. He is the most High possessour and commander of Heaven and earth The Psalmist layes strength upon this consideration Psal 50. 14. Pay thy vows unto the most High And this thought was prevailing upon the hearts of Jephihah and his daughter in a case very difficult in a course very crosse to the stream and strength of naturall affection you all know his vow therefore I shall not need to name it but marke I pray you the expressions both of the father and of his childe Judg. 11. 35 36. I have opened my mouth saith Jephthah unto Jehovah and I cannot go back And she said to him My father if thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth 5. He is a most faithfull Covenant-keeping God He is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant and mercy Deut. 7. 9. Although meer mercy move his Majesty to make Covenant yet will he make it good How much more should we keep our holy Covenants which both duty and necessity call us to renew 6. Although our well-doing doth not cannot reach the Lord with advantage yet his Highnesse will account himself honoured by our faithfullnesse in Covenant Hence it is that these two duties are conjoyned in the Scripture Offer to God thankesgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Psal 50. 14. And Psal 65. 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed Consider I pray you Do we not owe God praise Do we not pray Hallowed be thy Name Will it not be our Honours to set the Crown on his head Therefore let us all resolve to performe our vows unto the Lord our God The third head of arguments follows to be considered and it is drawn from the various precious benefits to be received by conscientious Motive 3. Covenant-keeping with the Lord our God 1. Care in this kinde will evidence our effectuall conversion to God The Prophet Isaiah foretelling the calling of the Gentiles speaketh thus The Lord shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day and shall do sacrifice and oblation yea they shall vow a vow unto the Lord and performe it Isa 19. 21. 2. Good Covenant-keepers lye very near unto the Lords warme heart he loves them dearly If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people Exod. 19. 5. Covenant-keepers are Gods jewels and all other persons are accounted as the lumber of the world in comparison of them Men will adventure much to ingratiate themselves with great ones and shall not we pay our vows that we may enjoy the favour the estimation of God whose loving kindnes is better then life 3. Hence issueth hope to prevaile with the Lord by our prayers The Psalmist having said Psal 65. 1. Vnto thee O God shall the vow be performed he adds immediatly O thou that hearest prayers And so soon as this counsell was given Psal 50. 14. Pay thy vows unto the most High in the next verse this follows by way of connexion And call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me As you desire the audience of your prayers make you conscience to pay your vows 4. The sanctification of all our concernments is a rich priviledge appertaining unto honest Covenant-keepers All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto them who keep his Covenant Psal 25. 10. Gods sweet mercy in the performance of his promises runs throug the veins of all his providences for the good of them who in reference to Covenant keep touch with him And who knows fully the worth of this one prerogative therefore as you desire a share herein make conscience to pay your vows unto the Lord your God 5. What need I descend unto any more particulars seeing all the precious promises of the Covenant of Gospel-grace are assured upon them who are faithfull in Covenant with God The Psalmist having moved this question Psal 24. 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place part of his answer is this He that hath not sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation Therefore be prevailed with through holy selfe-love and desires of blessednesse to pay your vows unto the Lord your God 6. And yet once more give me leave to presse this argument ab utili upon the hearts of you who are affectionate parents I know your bowels earn towards your children and you desire their good as your own comfort now be you well assured that you can take no course which will be more probable to entaile Gods blessing upon your posterity then this of conscientious Covenant-keeping with God How admirable and desirable is that promise in Psal 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children to such as keep his covenant These benefits of Covenant-keeping I leave in your bosomes desiring that through the blessing of God they may do you good I might here mention a further motive to perswade the paiment Motive 4. of vows from the sad consequences of falsenesse and unfaithfullnesse in this kinde 1. The Psalmist gives in this as a character of a wicked man Psal 55. 20. He hath broken or profaned his Covenant 2. All the sins of men are greatly aggravated by this circumstance that they are not only transgressions of Gods Law but violations of their own vows Thus
Solomon brands the adulterous woman Prov. 2. 17 She forgetteth the Covenant of her God 3. Breach of Covenant brings Gods burning displeasure upon people This thought did awe Israel in reference to their rash League made with the Gibeonites Josh 9. 20. We will let them live lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we sware unto them 4. Gods anger in this kinde kindled may bring a consumption upon our hopes and comforts That Item which the Wise man gives in this case should be seriously minded Eccl. 5. 5 6. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands Never were greater works under hand for Church and Common-wealth in our dayes or the dayes of our fore-fathers then are in agitation amongst us at this day therefore let us take heed lest our unfaithfullnesse in our Covenant provoke the Lord to dash all our endeavours into pieces with the disappointment of all our golden hopes Gods curse is annexed unto his Covenant to enforce the keeping of it It is said Neh. 10. 29. They entered into a curse and into an oath to walke in the Law of God And the sword of cruell war is drawn by the hand of Divine justice to avenge the quarrel of the Covenant Lev. 26. 25. This sword of Civil war is eating mans flesh and drinking mans blood in this Kingdom at this day and how can we expect that the Almighty should command it to returne into its scabbard and to be quiet if we continue carelesse in keeping Covenant I professe beloved that I have often trembled to thinke upon that discovery of Gods severity in punishing Israel with three yeers famine in Davids time because Saul had broken the rash vow 2 Sam. 2 1. which the Elders of Israel had made long before with the Gibeonites For thus I reason If the violation of an unadvised oath with subtill sinfull men by the posterity of them who made it did bring a sore nationall judgement what then may we expect from the hand of God for contradicting both by words and deeds both by opinions and practices the solemn sacred League and Covenant which our selves have upon deliberation both made and renewed with man and God These are weighty considerations and worthy your often and serious thoughts unto which many more might be added but I forbear the enlarging of this subject because you have so fully been acquainted with this matter by my Reverend brother M. Calamy who hath largely to satisfaction set forth the exceeding great danger of truce-breaking from 2 Tim. 3. 1. Covenant-breaking makes the times perillous unfaithfullnesse in Covenant is a Land-destroying a Kingdom-devouring sin Now my beloved to summe up all my arguments If there be in your hearts 1. Either respect unto the sacred obligation of a solemn vow 2. Or unto the most High possessour of Heaven and earth 3. If you either prize the promises of his grace and desire to be partakers thereof through Christ 4. Or dread the discoveries of the wrath of the Almighty and would preserve your selves and your posterity your selves and the Kingdom from breaking blows of vengeance pay your vows unto the Lord your God These arguments I hope will not be sleighted by you God forbid that matters of so great so publike concernment should be disregarded by them who professe so much zeal and respect to God and to his cause unto the prosperity of this famous City and the wellfare both of Church and Common-wealth as you worthy Citizens have done and persevere to do Therefore I proceed in this service to set down some Scripture-rules to guide you in the Faithfull payment of your vows unto the Lord your God Pay your good vows universally Pay thy vows saith the Psalmist Rule 1. Psal 50. 14. All thy vows none excepted whatsoever you have vowed according to his word you must make good according to his command Thus much is open in the text vow and pay unto the Lord your God Take good King Josiah for a president for your paterne in this particular of whom it is thus said upon his covenanting with God 2 Chron. 34. 33. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries which pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to swear even to serve the Lord their God You see that he spares nothing no where within the reach of his authority which might be displeasing unto his God or destructive to his people I pray you peruse the particulars to be opposed by vertue of your Covenant Popery Prelacy Profanenesse Schisme Heresie and do not dare to indulge any abomination which you have vowed to oppose Take heed that no sinfull biasse of near relations or any self-advantages take you off from your faithfullnesse in this kinde The Holy Ghost makes this a character of an heir of Heaven Psal 15. 4. He sweares and keeps it though to his own hinderance Therefore let not fear of losing a customer a friend an office a good bargain or any other outward advantage hinder you in keeping your Covenant I will not further enlarge this head which I leave to your thoughts but will conclude the rule with reading the practice of King Asa in the pursuance of his Covenant 2 Chron. 15. 16. And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the King he removed her from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a grove And Asa cut down her Idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron There are Idols of mens heads and of mens hands there are Idol-opinions and Idol-practices to be opposed by vertue of our Covenant and you must beware lest through respect of persons you prove partiall and unfaithfull When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slack to pay it Deut. 23. 21. And thou shalt not defer to Rule 2. pay it Eccles 5. 4. I might here speak much to perswade the speedy paiment of our vows hereby your comfort will be increased and the publike worke of reformation quickned and expedited your acts will be exemplary and of common influence both thorow the City and the whole Kingdom How many thousands enquire what is done in London against Popery Profanenesse Schisme and Heresie in the pursuance of their solemn League and Covenant The seasonablenesse of an action betters it doubles it Bis dat qui citò dat and I may truly say in the case under hand Bis facit qui citò facit ply the work of reformation now it is upon the wheels and you may do much worke in a little time principium est dimidium totius gain-say growing evils tread upon the Cockatrice in the shell oppose those opinions and practices in the bud in the birth which if suffered to grow to live longer will threaten the peace both of Church and