ware be in the shop there is as bad in the Warehouse sure if not worse This we call the inward and outward Covenant marke this you that thinke to smooth it over and carry it away with faire lookes and speake well and doe well outwardly but have durty corners within the heart is stubborne and rebellious against God proud stout malicious covetous These are in the outward Covenant as those whom the Lord complaines of Isa 1.2 Isa 1.2 Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up châ—ldren and they have rebelled against me vers 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider The wicked are in Covenant with the Lord outwardly but not inwardly the heart closes not with God they are not humble The Iewes were Gods people in outward Covenant but were disobedient and stubborne against the Lord. Thirdly there must be an answering the means of Grace with the measure of our uprightnesse and obedience He that hath received more must returne more to God brethren He that hath received more helps from the Almightie must returne more obedience you know how Farmes and Leases goe brethren he that hath a Lease of an hundred pound a yeere must not goe and pay but fiftie pound And he that hath one of fiftie pound goe and pay but twenty pound he that hath one of twenty pound goe and pay but tenne pound the Land-lord will not be put off so for his rent answerable to the Lease so must the rent be you that live in this Congregation sit at a high rate brethren your Leases are at an hundred pound a yeere looke that you pay God his full rent The people that are in a Towne that have a good honest Minister and carefull and painefull but he hath not those abilities that another hath expresse not that diligent power evidence of the Spirit in his Ministery the people that are in such a place sit at a good rate but they that have a faithfull eminent powerfull Minister they sit at marvellous high rents To pray little and doe little in good duties the Lord will not take this of a Dedham Christian that is for those that have small encouragements and a Sermon now and then and that but weake neither and creepe out once in a moneth to a Sermon there is a fiftie pound rent and a ten pound rent for such to pay but you sit at an hundred pound rent keepe touch brethren come off come off currantly Doe you thinke the Lord will lend his mercies for nothing No he prizes the life libertie and paines of his servants and their prayers at an exceeding high rate an hundred pound for a Prayer and an hundred thousand for an Instruction and doe you thinke with a prayer now and then and with a sigh and a wish that you could walke with the Lord to poppe off the Lord so No you sit at heavy rents and the Lord will call for accounts accordingly at the day of reckoning brethren this will breake some of your necks if it breake not your hearts now by repentance for your being behinde hand with the Lord in his rent and make you walke with the Lord better and keepe touch with him for the time to come But what is the reason that the Lord will call his Lawes and Commandements Covenants Reason The reason is this for I would have nothing untouched that you may be wise and understanding Christians because of the likenesse betweene and the resemblance of a Covenant that is made betweene two parties and the Law which is the Covenant which is given us of the Lord In a Covenant first there must be conditions and Articles of agreement betweene the parties offered and consented unto and secondly a binding one another to the performance thereof by Bond perhaps a paire of Indentures are drawne betweene them wherein is declared that they mutually agree he to make good the land and to pay thus much rent the other to let it him thus and thus It is just so here Marke the agreement betweene us and the Lord Deut. 28. Levit. 26. he propounds the Law and saith That if we will keepe the Law he will blesse us abundantly in all things house and land wife children at home and abroad in every thing we put our hand unto Then the people they agree and say Content Lord what ever thou saist we will doe Deut. 5.29 the Law thou hast given us we will keepe it it is holy just and good But then for the binding of one another you will say How shall we know God will performe his part and how shall the Lord know that we will performe our part to him what Bond is there for it The world is naught and one cannot tell who to trust and therefore God must binde us brethren to keepe our Covenant and we are not to think much that he should And we have Bond of him too because of our unbeliefe now the Bond is a corporall Oath passed from the one to the other The Lord takes a corporall Oath that if we will keepe his Commandements he will not be God if he blesse us not And so brethren you sweare too again on the other side to the Lord and did when you were baptized every one of you that you would be his people and obey his Lawes and Commandements The Lords people take a corporall Oath and a Curse upon themselves if they doe not keepe Covenant with the Lord. This belongs to us at this day for we entred into a Curse and desired that all the plagues and curses written in the Booke of God might light upon us if we keepe not the Commandements of the Lord Deut. 29.10 When the Lord had propounded the Covenant marke how he deales with the people Deut. 29.10 You stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captaines of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the men of Israel vers 11. Your little ones your wives and the stranger that is in thy Campe from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water vers 12. Deut. 29.12 That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath marke that brethren the Oath of the Lord which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day marke that with us from Abraham to this day the Oath is taken in our Baptisme we take the Oath of Allegiance as it were in this kinde All you that have given your names to the Lord Jesus and have received grace from him you all stand here this day before the Lord and bring your childreÌ„ before the Lord in the day of a Fast else woe be to you that we may renew our Covenant with him We are to enter into his Oath the Oath of the Covenant betweene the Lord and us that the Lord
one part of your time and your lusts another Is this honesty brethren This is the man God esteemes as an honest man not a Protestant at large that hath a good purse and is good in his kinde and will deale honestly with men and pay them their due and at their day but he that will pay God and their soule their due too Exod. 19.5 Exod. 19.5 If you will obey my voyce indeed and keepe my covenant then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me If your debtors keepe day with you you will trade with them rather then with any other man Let it be so in your dealings with men but remember that you do it with God Think not to put off the Lord with faire speeches Good words pay no debts Brethren we come here and give the Minister hearing and God a glosing but we walke not according to Gods commandements You give God good words but you goe home and are as unprofitable as vaine and frothy and idle as ever you were If one owe you money and take this day and that day and promise it and not pay it you would not thinke well of this dealing what may the Lord thinke of your hearts when you have made so many promises to him and had so many resolutions to performe your part of the covenant to him but have not yet kept promise with him Good words are good in their kinde God likes them well as it is in Deut. 5.28 29. This people have said well Deut. 5.28 but these are not sufficient we have enough of this sayes the Lord O that there were such an heart in them Vers 19. to doe as they have said There is the point Brethren If we have a debtor that comes oft to us and promiseth us payment but keeps not day we say you give me good words but I cannot pay debts so and keepe my family so Where is my money So Brethren you come and heare cheerefully and pretend that you will doe that you heare Ah but give God his money O that there were such an heart Know what God cals for Good money will he be payd with counters and shews No but currant money of England when the heart is changed the soule turned and the affections moved to what God cals for and that is good equall and righteous and we desire with all our heart to performe it Brethren when you are gotten home call to minde what you have said this day and this covenant which you have entred into with the Lord and say ô Lord that I had such an heart good words are well but ô a heart a heart Lord is that which thou requirest and I would have And it must be alwayes and in all things you must not picke and chuse and say I will not be a drunkard yet be covetous I wonder that you will not game and be drunke and yet gripe the poore O that there were an heart to keepe the commandements of God alwayes 1 Sam. 13.14 Act. 13.22 This is an honest man with God a man after Gods own heart a man of Gods minde as we may say If ever there were a Saint thou art when the Lord sayes O that they had such an heart the heart answers and sayes O Lord that I had such an heart when the Lord sayes O that thou wouldest keep all my commandements O that I could sayes the soule againe This is upright faire dealing indeed currant money your tongue and outward appearance is nothing that sturdy and peevish heart let it be humbled and your untoward and rebellious heart be brought into subjection Tit. 2.9 And you servants not answer your masters againe And you little ones be not sturdy against your parents and disobedient unto their commands Remember the little ones that mocked Elisha 2 King 2. 23 24. O but you will say we cannot doe what we would No it is pitty you should for then some of you would be without sin which cannot be here But doe you indeavour to doe what you can and are you humbled and grieved for that you cannot doe and doe you strive towards perfection and say with David Thou hast commanded that I should keepe thy statutes Psal 119.4 O that I could Lord Vers 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes And doest labour to mend thy pace because thou hast been slow and art cast behind in the way to happinesse and hast lost thy time This is all God requires of thee If one that is in debt to you fall into decay and come to you and say he is not able to pay you your money but he desires you to goe to his house and take whatsoever is there that is worth any thing to satisfie you I appeale to your consciences is he not an honest dealer yes you will not deny it but you will pitty his case and say the Lord may crosse any man and you will be favourable unto him because he shews an honest minde in that he desires every man should have his own to the utmost he can either in money or in money worth So brethren observe what the soul wants in obedience that it may plucke it out in repentance that is the money worth that when the poore sinner finds a dead heart a sluggish indeavour weaknesse in performance and he cannot doe as he should doe yet what he wants in obedience he fetcheth out in repentance step but in at the entry doore or under the wall or under the window and heare how he will breake his heart bewaile his abominations cry out of himselfe and say though much means and grace have been offered me yet good Lord this wretched world that I should dote upon lying vanities Jon. 2.8 so as to forsake mine own mercies Good Lord subdue this earthly mindednesse Good Lord take all away rather then this should take my soule from thee and from happinesse O thus brethren he labours to please the Lord in sorrow and griefe and mourning for the short comings of his payment in obedience He lays load upon himselfe in this case This is an honest heart this is very good pay it is money or money worth he is humbled and ashamed and confounded because he cannot doe what he would In this case he deals squarely he is an honest Christian An honest man if he be cast backe in his estate he will intreat Libertie of his creditors and resolve and promise them too that if ever God make him able his family shall not gaine by it but he will pay them to the utmost farthing so is it with an honest heart brethren I looke not that a man should not have temptations and corruptions and that sometime prevailing over him but this thou must have and thus thou beg earnestly of the Lord godly sorrow and griefe of heart for thy failings and that he would recover thy * Psal 39.13 strength before thou goe from hence and be
this cary it home with you and examining your selves know the Lord will have sinceritie from you Secondly it is a word of consolation Vse 2. this is a marvellous comfort to those that love and feare the Lord all you whose hearts answer It is thus with you lift up your heads with joy for this will uphold you and make you * Luk. 21.28 lift up your heads with comfort in all your troubles and in the day of the Lord When your redemption draweth nigh Isa 3.10 Isa 3.10 say It shall goe well with the godly I say to that man what ever come it shall goe well with him We use to say without doubt without danger A man that owes nothing he cares not for any Pursevant or Sergeant or Baily he feares them not for he knowes they have nothing to doe with him This is a marvellous comfort to him so it ought to be to a sincere heart that hath paid his debt to God when trouble seises upon him you know what Hezekiah said 2 King 20.3 Good Lord remember how I have walked before thee with an upright heart Isa 38.3 If a man be arrested upon a false ground the Law will baile him there is no Law against him Thinke of that brethren Gal. 5.21 Galat. 5.22 The fruits of the Spirit are love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith * Vers 23. meekenesse temperance against such there is no Law There is no Law to punish or condemne them or accuse them Therefore blessed are your soules that are sincere and upright in heart conversation alwaies to all Gods Commandements in publique in private in ordinarie times and extraordinarie there is no law against you whatsoever Satan or the world say against you there is no law in the Booke of God to condemne you Psal 119.6 Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements In the times of all dangers and of all miseries which are like to seise upon us soone if the Land should be over-run and friends and means faile here is comfort to every faithfull soule Psal 103.15 All flesh is grasse * Psal 103.15 the winde passeth over it Vers 16. and it is gone Vers 17. ver 17. but the loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever and ever Upon whom brethren Vpon them that feare him and thinke upon his covenants to doe them Marke how he sustaines himselfe life goe friends goe meanes goe all flesh is grasse Vers 15. the winde passeth over it and it is gone meanes are gone how then brethren vers 17. Vers 17. But the goodnesse of the Lord endures for ever and ever Though Libertie be gone the Spirit of the Lord endures though means be gone the mercy of God endures Psal 136. all though friends be gone the favour of the Lord endures The loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever Upon whom upon them that feare him and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them Though a poore soule fare meanly and live hardly all helps gone the Winde hath passed over them and libertie is gone honour is gone life is going nothing endures yet lift up thy soule in sicknesse and say My health is gone my strength is gone my life is going but the loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever Vers 18. upon every soule that keepes his Commandements and thinks upon his Covenants to doe them Lastly for a word of exhortation Vse 4. Is the Commandement of God his Covenant and is the keeping of that the way to obtaine mercy and happinesse here and for ever then goe away if you will and be dishonest still and breake Covenant with the Lord. The very name of dishonestie me thinks should move you brethren to be faithfull in your Covenant and to set on speedily and to be exceeding watchfull and carefull and to performe what you have promised to the Lord. Reason should move you What not keepe Covenant especially with the Lord What shall we make promises to the Lord and enter into Covenant with him and not keep it Let it for shame never be said of us brethren Marke what David saith Psal 119 11. I have hid thy Commandements in my heart that I might not sinne against thee His minde ran of them and his tongue talked of them continually Amongst men brethren you would not have your credit cracked for any thing and you doe honestly A good name is a Jewell But doe thus with the Lord brethren Hath not the Lord kept touch with you in all his promises Did you ever beg any thing of him and he not heare you Why doe you not keepe touch with the Lord Shame your selves for this I beseech you Men in the world if they breake in their estates they have this love and humanitie in them that if any lose then it shall be they that did deale most hardly with them and that got most by them when they were in trading but this kinde friend that was kinde to him and lent him monie sometime in his need he shall not lose a penny by him O saith he I had a friend of him I could never come to him but he would receive me This is honestie and faire and equall O consider of this brethren we have hard bargains at the hands of the world and of the devill and sinne many knocks of soule and girds of conscience with them But the Lord hath beene ever gracious mercifull loving and kinde to us resolve therefore that the Lord shall never lose by you let the world lose if it will and let carnall friends and sinne and Satan lose if they will Let not the Lord lose but resolve what ever becomes of it I will pray constantly and reade in my family morning and evening and upon every occasion and reforme my waies It is not needfull that I should be rich it is that I be sincere and faithfull to the Lord I will labour for a good conscience and endevour to walke with God FINIS Imprimatur Ja. Cranford
THE FAITHFUL COVENANTER A SERMON PREACHED AT THE LECTVRE IN DEDHAM IN ESSEX By that excellent servant of Iesus Christ in the work of the Gospel Mr. Tho. Hooker late of Chelmsford now in New England Very usefull in these times of Covenanting with God Psal 78. vers 9. The children of Ephraim being armed and carying Bows turned back in the day of Battle Ver. 10. They kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law Ver. 36. Neverthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues Vers 37. For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant LONDON Printed for CHRISTOPHER MEREDITH at the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1644. A SERMON PREACHED AT DEDHAM Lecture in Essex DEUT. 29.24 25. Even all Nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land what meaneth the heate of this great anger Then the men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt THe holy Prophet Moses having in the fore-going Chapters the 28. especially discovered unto the people as his last words almost which he spake unto them the marvellous mercies of the Lord to those which walked with him and were obedient unto his Commandements which he had set before them and the heavy Iudgements he had prepared for and would execute on them that walked stubbornly against him and were disobedient and rebellious notwithstanding all meanes he used to reclaime them and all the blessings that he bestowed upon them as the Commandements you may see in the fore-going Chapter If you will observe and doe all that I command you this day vers 1. then vers 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie and blessed shalt thou be in the field vers 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground vers 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store c. But if not but they will be disobedient and rebell against him he sends fire after them presently and sayes vers 16. Cursed shalt thou be in the Citie and cursed shalt thou be in the field vers 17. Cursed shalt thou be in thy basket and in thy store c. Now having dealt with them both waies he windes up all and deales with them by way of Prophecie and tels them what Israel would doe and what the Lord would doe if their hearts turned away from him and from his Statutes which he had set before them to walke in He tels them that the people after his death will goe a whoring O that this might not be sayes Moses but yet if it be the Lord will roote you out of this good Land and will bring upon you all these curses that are written in this Booke to plague you here and will cause everlasting vengeance to seise upon you hereafter Now after he had dealt with them by mercies and judgements these not prevailing the Lord sends an enemie upon them that sweepes them away as unprofitable * 1 King 14.10 a King 9 37. Psal 83.10 Ier. 8.2 9.22 16.4 25.33 dung off the face of the earth Now the Prophet brings in the Nations here justifying the Lords dealing with them and saying vers 24. Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land What meaneth this fierce wrath of the Lord As if a man should say What was this goodly ENGLAND the onely Nation of all the Earth and yet now all laid waste in this fearefull manner Whence came this heavie displeasure and what doth meane this fierce wrath of the Lord Now marke what followes All men shall say that is even the wicked themselves all standers by shall give sentence on the Lords side and justifie his doings and say Alas can you blame the Lord for dealing thus fiercely against such a stubborne rebellious people What would you have had the Lord done more he gave them a Law and Mercies and Iudgements but they would not serve the Lord but brake the bands asunder and cast the cords behinde their backs Psal 2.3 Therefore now they shall serve enemies God is not to be blamed What could he have done or what would you have had him doe more then he did for them Threatnings from Mount Eball and Blessings from Mount Gerizzim flue about from this side and on that side and yet nothing would doe them good Why should they live any longer then what should the Lord doe they profited by nothing neither by his mercies nor his judgements and what was the cause brethren Here was the cause they were false hearted they would not walke sincerely with the Lord and therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and he rootetd them out of their Land in his wrath and in great indignation Oh the fearefull wrath of the Lord that came upon them In the words take notice of three particulars Parts of the Text. First the Iudgement of the Lord denounced threatned and executed against them It was very sharpe the Nations were agast that stood by and beheld it and wondred and said Why who would have thought it that the adversary and the enemy should have entred into the gates of Ierusalem What Ierusalem the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole Earth As if one should hereafter passe by and see all the Townes burnt up here in this Land which God grant may never be but if it should be so and one should passe by and see all the houses burnt up and the Churches burnt would he not be amazed at it and say Why what meanes this fierce wrath of the Lord Would it not make our hearts ake Brethren to passe by these places and see the houses of God burnt downe to the ground and thinke with our selves Oh the good exhortations and admonitions we have heard here Then secondly here is the reason and cause why the Lord dealt thus with them Vers 25. then men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God So brethren if this should be our case poore little ones would say then I remember my father said thus it would be for the Land forsooke the Covenant of the Lord and the Minister told us of this stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord that this would be the end of it Then lastly here is the testimony of the Nations concerning the equitie of the Lords dealing the standers by justifie it and said The Lord is just for they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God And so people would doe here if the Lord should doe with us as he did with the Jews First of the judgements which the Lord threatned against them What means the fierce anger of the Lord why it was the fierce anger of the enemies was it not Yes But there is no enemy but is in Gods hand it
enemies your outward appearance of profession is just so brethren A hypocriticall fine smooth coat will not keep off the wrath of the Lord but that will seise upon the soule which hath no other defence but such Revelation 2. Revel 2.2 and the beginning Ephesus a Church that lived gloriously and performed duties comfortably marke what the Lord sayes of them Vers 3. I know thy works and thy labour and how thou canst not beare them which are evill vers 4. Yet I have somewhat against thee Vers 4. because thou hast left thy first love And what of that might some say I may be an honest man I hope and goe to heaven too though I have declined a little and be not so zealous and forward as I have been as long as I am sincere and upright-hearted Aye but what sayes the Lord brethren Vers 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlesticke out of his place Let no man trust in his own strength depend upon his own priviledges and shadow himselfe under the name of Religion and Gospel 1 Sam. 4 5 6. 1 Sam. 4. When the Philistines came against Israel and Israel was smitten before them the next time they came into the Campe they sent for the Arke that that might save them out of the hand of their enemies and when the Arke came into the Campe Vers 5. all Israel shouted so that the earth rang again Vers 7. And the Philistines were afraid and said Woe unto us for the like was never heard of before the God of Israel is come into the Field Who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mightie Gods Vers 8. these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues that came upon them Vers 9. Be strong and quit your selves like men oh ye Philistines that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews And the Philistines fought Vers 10. and Israel was smitten And the Arke of God was taken Vers 11. They brought the Arke of the Covenant into the Campe but the Arke would not defend them but was taken Brethren the Arke was a type of Christ you bring the name of Christians and the outward profession of Religion into the field and you thinke that this will save you out of the hands of your enemies but you and that will sinke under your enemies if you put confidence in that was any nation greater then Babylon or more glorious then Jerusalem but what is become of them brethren hath not the Lord brought desolation and destruction upon them Luk. 21.5 O say the Disciples when they were at Jerusalem and saw the Temple what goodly buildings are here Matth. 24.1 2. vers 2. Mark 13.1 2. I tell you says our Saviour a stone shall not be left on a stone It skils not what we are brethren in outward profession but what we are in sinceritie and holinesse Depend not on the priviledges which God hath given you but pray for grace to answer him according to the means which he hath bestowed upon you and then this love may be continued and there may be some hope that you shall injoy these blessed priviledges still Now we come to the place where we would be the 25. Vers 25. verse wherein is the reason why God deals so with his own people The Text gives you to understand the ground of it was because they had forsooke the Covenant of their God Meaning of the words This we will fasten upon And first I will open the words and then draw some collections from them for our benefit First I will shew you what is meant by Covenant Secondly what is meant by forsaking of the Covenant Brethren Covenant there is a double Covenant in the frame of Scripture Joh. 3.15 16. and 5.24 and 11.25 26. First a Covenant of being in God which is called the Covenant of faith He that beleeveth shall live Secondly a Covenant of walking before or with God when we have received mercy and grace through the goodnesse of God in acceptation of our persons in and through Christ then the Lord requires that we should walke in new obedience before him answerable to that grace bestowed Brethren marke that and this is the covenant of new obedience or of thankfulnesse which the Lord reveals requires and exacts of all that have given their names unto him I take it that the covenant of the second sense is here meant The other is supposed and included but this is the maine the covenant of his Law whereby we should be obedient unto him that is the minde of the holy man in this place and the scope of the words Secondly to forsake this covenant is this when we keepe not touch with God in sincere exact and holy obedience answerable to the means and mercy he bestows upon us and the care and kindnesse of the Lord towards us When we fleeing away from the command of the Lord breake his bands Psal 2.3 and snap the cords a pieces when we walke after our own wayes are not governed by God and content to be ruled by his holy word in all things then are we said to forsake his covenant Nextly marke here he sayes they forsooke it that is the generall frame of the nation The generall not the naughtie packs only and some few but they forsooke it Now brethren having opened the words unto you I will come unto the points of instruction and first in that he cals his Commandement and Law his Covenant observe a maine point of great use and benefit and that is this That the Commandements of the Lord Doctrine are the Covenant of the Lord with his people the Covenant of new obedience This is the Covenant that God makes with his people Deut. 5.2.6 not of life but of thankfulnesse Deut. 5.2.6 That one place will cast the case cleere enough In the second vers he saith The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in â—oreh then in the sixt vers and so on Vers 6. there is the Covenant it selfe set downe I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Vers 7. out of the house of bondage Thou shalt have none other Gods before me Famous is that place Psal 103.18 Psal 103.17 18 There are two Phrases used which serve to one purpose and the one explicates the other vers 17. The goodnesse of the Lord indures for ever and ever But upon whom Vers 18. brethren upon those that keepe his Commandements and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them So that his Covenants and Commandements are all one As in a Covenant there are Articles of agreement betweene party and party so betweene God and his people Here are the Articles of agreement the Ten words which God spake the Ten Commandements This Moses aimes
at here Now brethren to set the truth upon his right ground for the opening of the point take notice of three things Three things First what are the termes required in the Covenant Secondly where in this Covenant consists or what is the substance of this Covenant Thirdly the reason why the Commandement is called a Covenant First of the termes required in the Covenant of us under the Gospel The tenure of the Law is in a double considerâ—tion First a legall performance of the Commandements Secondly an Evangelicall performance and obedience These are the two termes of conveyance of this Covenant The Law in the legall performance requires three things that a man out of his personall holinesse keepe it perfectly and exactly and that to purchase and obtaine life by this obedience This is obedience according to the strictnesse and rigor of the Law wherein it will not abate an haire of what God requires but it must be fulfilled every jot and that out of a mans owne personall holinesse and that in way of life Thus it was a Covenant betweene God and Adam onely Adam in his innocencie God gave him a good Law by vertue of which he should have lived if he had kept it and by that holinesse he had by gift and creation he was able to keepe every minime and tittle of the precepts of the Lord and to obtaine life thereby But this Covenant is not continued with us is not required at our hands no man doth or can performe the Law out of his owne holinesse and goodnesse exactly to obtain life thereby Rom. 6.24 We are not under the Law Rom 6.14 but under Grace that is we are not bound to the strictnesse and rigour of the Law that a man should not live if he have in him any weakenesse and failings therein we are free from the rigour and curse and punishment of the Law Secondly Evangelicall obedience Obedience to the Law of God according to moderation and the mitigation of the Gospel so farre as God is pleased to accept of what we can doe through Christ in way of thankefulnesse not what we should doe in regard of the exactnesse God looks for at our hands though we have no power of our own we can not performe the Law exactly yet if we according to the measure of grace received walk in this obedience as well as we can in token of our thankfulnesse this is the tenure of the Covenant made with us The second â—art of the conveyance of the Covenant in it take notice of three things First we have not power of ourselves to keepe it Secondly we cannot perfectly performe it by that power we have Thirdly when we walke in obedience to it we look not for life and salvation thereby The scope of Evangelicall obedience is to glorifie God and to expresse the Covenant by obedience in way of thankfulnesse and to procure comfort to our soules We are saved by the Covenant of faith Beleeve and live Ioh. 3.15.16.36 not doe and live This Covenant whereof we entreat and whereof the Text is to be understood is not the Covenant whereby we shall obtaine justification but an evidence and signe we are justified and accepted of God Rom. 8.3.4 Rom. 8.3.4 That which was impossible to the Law in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh That which was impossible to the Law c. that can never bring any man to salvation but onely Christ redeemed us fully and satisfied for us and he performed what God required and by that we stand just in the presence of God But being justified and made acceptable the Lord requires that we expresse the Covenant and walke answerable unto it expresse the vertues of him that hath called us Brethren you must not trust to your new obedience to expect life from it it is onely an evidence that God hath shewed mercy to you it makes not you good but shewes that you are good Evangelicall obedience according to the measure of grace received is all that God lookes for Not that there is worth in this to purchase salvation It is an evidence to us that the Lord graciously looks upon us in Christ Iesus it is the way that we must walke in to salvation Secondly Wherein doth this Covenant consist It stands in three things first when in inward uprightnesse and singlenesse of heart we labour to be caried in vertue of Gods command not to doe what God requires onely but because God requires it many of you come to the Church not because God commands it then you would not lie or be drunke or have secret base covetous humours for God commands you should not doe so as well as he commands you should come to the Church If a command cary in any thing it will cary in every thing But the frame of an Evangelicall heart is to the Covenant that is the spring of a mans practise the first mover the waight that makes him strik in obedience to every Commandement and approve inwardly of every Commandement of God have not a secret distast of some and a love of others he is covetous to be drunke but will not be covetous covetous to come to Church but will not humble his soule privately Though many failings be in him and many rubs and hubs in the way yet the bent of his soule is to Gods Commandement Cast a Bowle though there be a rub here and hub there in the way which turne it out yet it sals upon the Bias so an upright heart though he meet with many hinderances within and without yet the Bias of the soule the bent is to God-ward still to all his Commandements labouring to expresse the vertues of God which hath called him Secondly there must be an answerable expression and putting forth of this inward disposition and frame of heart outwardly in tongue and life If you had a good heart you would have a good life and a good tongue If it be within it will breake forth you that are fretfull proud stubborne peevish stout froward and nothing but fiddle faddle and lament it not and thinke your heart is good and you love the Commandements you deceive your selves If it were so you would have a good tongue too and be meeke and humble I will not give a Rush for that man Religion that is not in some measure obedient this way James 1.26 What saith the Apostle If any man seeme to be religâ—ous and râ—fraâ—ne not his tongue that mans Religion is in vaine There must be an expression of the inward goodnesse of the heart by the outward conversâ—…ion a good sap in the botome good bâ—anches and fruit on the lop Matth. 12.3 5. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things If goodnesse be in the heart brethren it will be brought forth in life If such bad
may stablish us to day for a People unto himselfe and that we may curse our selves if we doe not walke with God both our selves and ours and woe to him that hath no care to keepe his Oath no wonder he is a begger no wonder his debtors run from him and leave him in the lurch It is a wonder that the earth doth not open her mouth and swallow him up Numb 16.32.33 as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram and all the plagues written from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation Amen fall not upon his soule and body Why you have entred into a curse man and an Oath with the Lord Nehem. 10.29 Neh. 10.29 See how the holy man continued this course how they entred a Covenant there with the Lord as if they should have said The Lord curse this tongue if I speake not graciously the Lord curse this hand if I doe not yeeld obedience to his will and command look to it the curse will dog thee and follow thee if thou break Covenant as it did the Iewes in Nehemiahs time Now when he had returned the people out of captivitie he brought them all before the Lord to enter into a Curse and into an Oath to walke in Gods Law It was a sweet course every soule here stands bound to doe as they did They tooke a solemne Oath what ever they had beene they would now walke in Gods Law Give me your hand brethren or at least let me have your heart in the mean time because that cannot be Are you the servants of God entred into Covenant with the Lord then know you are bound to keepe Covenant by vertue of that Oath and when you are in your Families remember your Oath you are bound hand and foot to the Lord and therefore when you are drawne by any thing to breake Covenant with the Lord thinke thus with your selves What an honest man and lie and forsweare my selfe you have all sworne to the Lord brethren your little ones and all Cursed shall you be in all that you take in hand if you doe not walke precisely and exactly in his Law and Covenant Husbands call upon your wives Husband and Wise and Parents call upon your children when you see them breake Covenant and say Wife or children What shall we bring a Curse upon our selves When you begin to be carelesse of the Sabbath and cold and luke-warme and dull call upon one another and say You know the plague was neere at hand husband at such a time but the Lord kept it from us For Gods sake husband let us take heed that we doe not bring the curse upon our Family No marvell though one runne away with this from us and an other with that and the Lord lay this sicknesse and that affliction upon us What wilt thou be a perjured man for shame keepe thy Oath God will never trust thee else hereafter Now the Lord sweares to us by himselfe Heb. 6.13 because he hath no greater to sweare by It is a sweet thing that the Lord hath bound himselfe by Oath to us to keepe Covenant with us If you have an honest and an able man bound to you for a debt you goe away content you have enough Why we have the Lord in bonds for the fulfilling his part of the Covenant He hath taken a corporall Oath of it that he will doe it and shall we not take the Lords bond and rest content with that Let us now * Heb. 13.22 suffer the words of exhortation with patience and meeknesse O brethren this point concerns us neerely this day Covenants goe farre especially if they be for weighty matters when a man is in Covenant for more then he is worth Thinke of it seriously The first use shall be of Examination Vse 1. If this be so we may have a touch-stone from the forme of Doctrine delivered to discover to us who is the sound professor indeed There are a great many formall professors but few true ones indeed A man can scarce tell who to trust you say for trading I say for living you say for buying and selling I say for professing Would you know whether you are sound at root and not have a name onely to live and yet are dead Rev. 3. vers 1. Revel 3.1 Let him that keeps Covenant that deales squarely you know what that is brethren that keeps touch with the Lord let him be the sincere man he is worthy the name of a Christian There are many fadling patching Christians that are off and on here and there there is no hold of them a man knowes not where to have them that will say faire and bid well but doe nothing in the end Goe you home to your selves see whether you keepe touch with the Lord. You thinke you are bound to keepe covenant in nothing but in your money Rich men thinke all honesty is in paying of money I will not speake of the misery of them that must patch up and down in that fashion and hang on every bush But ô sayes the rich man that is carefull to give every man their due and to keepe his day what times doe we live in a man knows not where to lend to have it againe at his time there is no honest dealing to be found Marke the villany of his heart because he keepe touch with men and is as good as his word O sayes he we live in very ill times and their is scarse a man to be found that one may trust of his word there is such unhonest dealing in all places that there is no hold of mens words But yet oppresses and grindes the face of the poore and looks for his gaine altogether where is your honesty So some that are carefull of the body and give it its due but the soule whines within for mercy mercy that it may have something to refresh it withall but that cannot be heard that is starved the body is fat but the poore soule is leane enough where is your honesty doe you not owe repentance hearing reading and praying to your soules your poore soule crys ô remember me let me have some mercy and forgivenesse sought for me at the hands of the Lord let me have some time imployed for my good But you cannot heare it Is this honesty brethren if a man sterve his servant so that he pine away till he is scarse able to goe and at last come to the grave every one cryes out shame of him But ô brethren the poore soule that is starved but no man cryes shame of that when did the Lord heare of many of you here present Alas never brethren never But when the soule said now pray for helpe against this corruption and for mercy for such a sin now awake out of thy secret worldlinesse you went away and would not heare that you have no leisure nor no time for that but starve your poore soule and the devill he hath