shall be upon him Now seing it is so we are to expect he will avenge his Broken Covenant upon these Lands according to His Word Now the next thing in the Text is That the Breakers of Covenant with God God will recompense it upon their own heads this is the words of the Text My Oath that he hath despised c. Now to clear it to you who they are that are Despisers of the Covenant consider First That it is a Covenanter in Opinion and not in Practice that is to say There is not a Man that reforms not in his heart according to the Covenant but he is a Breaker of the same for this is the Articles of the Covenant Therefore know assuredly O ye Drunkards Adulterers Despisers of Ordinances and the People of God Sabbath Breakers Covetous Persons and Civilians who care for no more than an outward Profession if ye be not endeavouring Reformation and to keep the Covenant God's Vengeance shall be upon you Indeed we will hear many Folk who pretend to keep the Covenant But they will let an Oath flee when they like thou by so doing art a good Keeper of the Covenant indeed thou art guilty before God for thou never Covenanted in Heart and Affection 2 dly All those despise the Covenant that care not for it for there is no Indifferency here Therefore all the Three Kingdoms may expect Wrath from the Lord except they repent 3 dly These are Despisers of the Covenant who are Fathers of Lyes and Seditions and find out Shifts to shun it but whoever they be that are seeking Wiles to be freed of the Covenant whether King or Parliament God will send Vengeance on them We are not here to Preach Rebellion or Treason but what we shall warrant from the Lord's Word Zedekiah was a King and yet you find Vengeance came upon him and so did it upon Saul's House and Posterity for his Breach of Covenant therefore let all take head to it But what would you have us to do say ye 1 st Consider what Case these Lands stand in And what it is they ly under Is it not the Breach of Covenant and the Judgment of God will come upon them if he in mercy prevent it not Because we have sworn the Covenant and broken it therefore God has sworn That we shall not prosper O! Is there none among the Tribes of Israel to lament these things this day this sad Condition of these Three Lands that they are guilty of breach of Covenant and are under the threatning of most severe Judgments Will you then bewail it if you have any tenderness of heart each Man for himself and for his Family I know some Folk will say Let it even be so for we will never lift it up again but of this afterward now I would intreat you to beware of partaking of other Mens Sins lest ye partake of their Plagues and Judgments Wilt thou Vote with the King in Parliament to sin then thou must Vote for Judgments And I shall only say this Endeavour to cover your selves now with that which you would cover your selves with at the Day of Judgment There will never a Man come in and say The King must answer for me no no the King must answer for himself If you be not studying to keep these things the Covering will be too narrow for you that Day Again I would advise you to lay your thoughts aside from getting much of the World but see if ye can get this that 's in Rev. 3.4 Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis which have not defiled their Garments and they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy It was a time then of great Defection and these of them that continued stedfast were as Signs and Wonders O then walk now as you would desire to walk afterward for surely these that ly down with sin unpardoned in the Grave must resolve to ly in an eternal Bed of sorrow and these that keep themselves clean shall walk with the Lamb in white Now a word to that which I mentioned before What shall we do since these Lands have broken Covenant with God I tell you that Scotland is bound to keep it altho England and Ireland have broken it and altho Scotland broke yet Ireland and England are bound to stand to it Hos 4.15 Though thou Israel play the Harlot yet let not Judah offend that is to say As for you at this present time though England and Ireland have broken yet let not Scotland do so too Suppose there were but one Family in these Lands that would stand to it and if all that Family should turn their back upon it except one Person truly that Person is bound to stand to it Josh 24.15 Choose you whom you will serve but as for me and my House we will serve the Lord. Here is but a Family so that if all the Kingdom should forswear the Covenant yet so long as I am Master of a Family I must serve the Lord I must not serve other gods that is to say We should not serve Popes nor Prelates c. But what if it come to this That there be no Man to bide by it at all but one Man That Man is bound to keep it according to Scripture read 1 Kings 19.14 I have been very jealous c. from which I conclude according to the Scriptures though England has forsaken yet Scotland is bound and tho' Scotland should forsake yet England is bound and tho' both should forsake yet one Family is bound to stand to it Therefore study to know your Duty lest the Wrath of God come upon you and your Posterity believe these things for our King and Princes Nobles and Ministers and all the People and our Posterity is bound to it So I leave it to you with this word Happy is that Man that shall be stedfast in the Covenant though all the rest should forsake it But as to the Persons who they are that shall continue stedfast God has reserved that to himself as a piece of his Sovereignty Again we hear not tell of a Publick Covenant ever sworn and broken but God visibly plagued the Breakers thereof There is no sin God would have Folk laying more to heart than the Breach of Covenant As I live saith the Lord surely mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompense upon his own head God useth not to trust Folk long that break Covenant without some visible Stroke as it was in Saul's Days and Zedekiah's If you would have a Mark upon your Foreheads and be keeped free from these things be sighing for the Abominations of these Lands Ezek. 9. Wo to the Man that 's rejoicing at this day Is there no Family found sighing for these thing if not all the World shall hear tell of their Punishment This we recommend to you and do not say that we did not give you warning For we have told you this from the Word of the Lord therefore receive it in love As for my self I know not what I may do yet though I should shrink from the Faith by my weakness which God forbid I ofttimes remember the words of Nehemiah and Jeremiah when they did testify against the People's sins and I do Protest against the Breach of Covenant that I may not be made accessary to other Folks sins and lest I be found guilty before the Lord and be made Partaker of other Men's Judgments This is the way that the Prophets did use this is no Rebellion or Treson For if they think it Rebellion or Treason and think it Censurable I commit them to the Prophets who are gone to their Place who did these things and first punish them and then me I commit all thir things to you Lord engrave them on your Hearts Amen FINIS
A SERMON PREACH'D UPON Breach of Covenant By that Reverend and Worthy Servant of JESUS CHRIST Mr. John Guthrie sometime Minister of the Gospel at Tarboltoun 1663. 2 CHRON 15.12 And they entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul Vers 15. And all Judah rejoiced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about DEUT 29.14 15. Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this Oath but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God and also with him that is not here with us this day NEH 9.38 And because of all this we make a sure Covenant and write it and our Princes Levites and Priests seal unto it DEUT 29. 24 25. All nations shall say Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land what meaneth the heat of this great anger Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers which he made with them TO THE READER THE Design of Publishing this Treatise especially at this time is to evince to the World what have been the Principles of the Church of Scotland and Her Faithful and Constant Wrestlings against abjur'd Prelacy that bitter Root of Human Invention obtruded upon this Church contrary to Her Received Reformation and diametrically opposite to the Word of GOD and our Covenants both National and Solemn League The Scope and Design of this Treatise consists in these Two First In asserting and proving from Scripture the irrevocable Tye and Obligation this Land lies under to prosecute the Ends and Designs of these solemn Sworn Covenants Secondly In answering some Objections adduced for debilitating their Obligations This Treatise by the Blessing of GOD upon the Conscientious Perusal may be a Mean to discover our Ancient and Received Principles and Practices in adhering to these Covenants even to the Effusion of much Blood and also how far we are degenerated from our First Love and Wonted Zeal to and Apostacy from our Covenant-Engagements so as the Sense of our Covenant-Obligations is not only slipt out of the Memories of some but also out of the Judgments of not a few If the Reader find any thing not so well connected let it not be imputed to the Author but to the Pen of him who gathered it from the Author's Mouth EZEKIEL 17 Chap. 19 Ver. Therefore thus saith the Lord God as I live surely mine Oath that he hath despised and my Covenant that he hath broken even it will I recompense upon his own head I Conceive in the Verse that I have read there is more solid Truth delivered by the Spirit of God which cannot lye than I am able to declare when I have fallen to the Explication and Enlargement of if yet the very first words in the 11 and 12 Verses speak as much to the Truth contained in the rest of the Sermons of Ezekiel as that it is not laid before the People neither left unto them in any confused way which is not plain But the Prophet gets a Commission to show them plainly what the mind of the Lord was to them This will more clearly appear if you take notice of the former part of the Chapter wherein these things are delivered plainly to the People by a Similitude the Prophet having shewed to his Hearers the same things that he comes to speak plainly of unto them so that any Man might have thought this with himself What needs so plain Preaching and Application Will not any Man that hears the Words take them up without any Application You find the Lord in his Commission to Ezekiel after he Points out the Similitude of two Eagles taking away the Branches he tells now says he Go to the City of Jerusalem and say Do ye understand these things that God will avenge his broken Covenant against the King of Jerusalem And if they understand not these things go and make them plain to them and apply it to them spare neither King nor Prince but tell them this is my Message Thou hast broken my Covenant therefore by this Message which I send to you the Plague and the Vengeance of God shall come upon you As I live saith the Lord. And lest any of you who sometime have heard us press the Oath of the Covenant in these Lands should now a-days think it alterable and look upon it as a thing that may be dispensed with therefore we are through God's strength from Scripture to make out the indissolvable Tye of the Covenant and that we bear not upon the Air in speaking to that purpose according to the Faithfulness of the Prophet's Commission by the Lord We intend to follow this Rule as we shall be answerable to our Lord and Master and to be free of your Blood whose Souls are committed to our Charge to lay it before you and if you sin against the Lord then your Blood will be upon your own head this we intend not to speak in general but in particular and if any Man will justle himself against the Lord then he will break himself for ever And for making the words more clear consider that the King of Babylon as you read 2 Kings 24.17 did change Mattaniah's Name to Zedekiah and made him King of Jerusalem and afterward Zedekiah entered into Covenant with the King of Babylon that he should abide Tributary to him and for the Confirmation of it he puts the King Zedekiah to Swear by the Lord. But after he had sent him home to Jerusalem Zedekiah upon some supposed Advantage which he saw not at that time did break his Covenant with the King of Babylon therefore the Lord sends the Prophet to him and says Since thou hast broken Covenant with the King of Babylon and has not keeped it as I live saith the Lord thou shall not prosper Yea the Lord noticeth and owns it so much that he makes the Covenant sworn to the King of Babylon his Covenant and therefore says in that Verse As I live my Oath which he hath despised and my Covenant c. This is the History and we have it clearly set down in the Prophet's Commission which he must not dare to sit but faithfully doth deliver the same as it is in the 33. Chap. of this Prophecy Ver. 7 8. wherein the Prophet tells the Duty of the Watchmen of Israel Son of Man I have set thee a Watchman unto the House of Israel Therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth and warn them from me When I say unto the wicked O wicked Man thou shalt surely die if thou dost not speak to warn the Wicked from his way that wicked Man shall dye in his iniquity but his Blood will I require at thy hand that is whenever a Land or Kingdom is found guilty of such and such things for
which the Lord's Wrath uses to come upon a People if that be made known to the Prophets they are bound to Preach and declare it or else resolve that the Blood of all those that are taken away with the Stroke shall be charged on them as unfaithful Men in the House of God And it were to be desired that there were many to give warning I fear there shall not the blood of a few in Scotland be required at the hands of Ministers for not giving faithful and timeous Warning for as every Man that shall be taken away in his iniquity and for his Defection shall be made to smart for it so it shall be no Excuse to you the People that the Ministers did not tell you O but dreadful shall be the Account that Ministers must give for not telling the People In the words there is 1 st a threatning for Breach of Covenant and 2 dly There is the Thing for which he doth threaten and that 's for despising the Oath and breaking the Covenant of God 3 dly The Confirmation that 's fixed to the Threatning would it not have been thought that this was enough Thus saith the Lord I will punish thee for breaking my Covenant Now this is extraordinary that it must have this put to it twice As I live saith the Lord shall he break my Covenant and escape All this put together speaks the certainty of the Threatning ver 16 and 19. and also the greatness of the Matter and the weightiness of it and how the Lord looks upon breach of Oaths and Covenants The Doctrine from the Words is That the Oath is indissolvable the Breach whereof God recompenseth upon the heads of those that break it It 's inviolable it 's in the words not framed by my Mouth the Holy Ghost framed them in the mouth of Ezekiel the Prophet long ago As I live saith the Lord God surely mine Oath c. As applicable to our Case consider the Doctrine supposeth something that is not plainly spoken and that is That every Oath and Covenant of God is a thing that is inviolable that is may not nor can not be broken For the better understanding whereof there is something that is needful to an Oath and Covenant of the Lord. I am not to speak here in relation to the Covenant of Works between God and Man in his Integrity neither am I to speak to the Covenant of Grace either in the way of it's Dispensation on Mount Sinai or as to the fulness of it under the New Testament though all these are more properly called Covenants because they are of his own devising But we take the Covenant here in this place to be of Mens Duties in the Land and for keeping them the better we take an Oath upon us in things that are neither Morally evil or good but indifferent but a Man once engaged by Oath cannot retract though they be not commanded Duties yet once entered into they must stand for when we open our mouths to the Lord we cannot go back But I say for clearing this Consider what makes an Oath and Covenant of God 1 st It must be a thing in it self lawful there is no Man that warrantably according to the word of God may swear the thing which in it self is unlawful 2 dly It must be a thing in it self possible within the Man's power no Man is warranted to swear that which he cannot perform 3 dly When we take the Vows and Oath of God upon us we interpone the Name of the Lord to it we swear by the Lord this is the thing here that makes this Covenant the Covenant of the Lord the King of Babylon made Zedekiah King of Jerusalem swear by the Lord. And it is more the Covenant of the Lord when the King is Religious and the thing commanded of the Lord which we are bound to obey though we had never sworn it Therefore it must stand once entered into lest we make enquiry after Vows and so destroy that which is holy Now for further clearing ot the words consider 1 st That in Deut. 23.21 you may see how much the Lord counts an Oath binding When thou shalt vow a Vow unto the Lord thy God thou shall not slack to pay it for it will be sin to thee not to perform it but if thou shalt forbear to Vow it shall be no sin in thee Numb 30. The Lord gives out Laws to Moses for Vows and will have them declared v. 2. If a Man vow a Vow to the Lord or swear an Oath to bind his Soul he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth The Scripture is very full so that a Man once engaged in Duty if he break the Vengeance of God shall be upon him 2 dly The Inviolableness of the Oath of God is founded upon the Law of Nature and Nations Wherefore is it that there is such an Order in Ordinances to swear by the Name of the Lord Is it not for this think you to make the Thing stand sure For the very Law of Nature teaches That if a Man swear he must swear by his God and must keep it and in like manner the Law of Nations for the Matter of Offensive and Defensive Arms and as to the Matter of Cessation and Peace Is not all this to hold out that they design to secure themselves by interponing the Name of God to it Now once allow this that Men may retract and break Covenant with God then we break the Law of Nature and Nations too and so there is not a Nation under the Sun secure because the way of continuing Peace which is by the Name of the Lord being interpon'd is broken so that neither the Law of Nature or Nations if it be broken can stand if that be granted then it may be retracted The 3d Confirmation for the Truth of this Doctrine The Lord himself in his Word hath declared a Man's tender keeping of the Covenant Vow or Oath that it is exceedingly well pleasing to him and that he has declared such a Man blessed Ps 15.1 compared with the last words of the 4th Verse Who shall dwell in thy holy hill Would not any Man think they are foolish that would not dwell in Heaven Then look through He shall dwell that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not A Body that swears any thing must keep it though it be to his hurt The 4th Thing for Confirmation of the Doctrine as to the inviolableness of the Oath of God it appears and is established as the Lord hath commanded the thing in his Word and as it is founded upon the Law of Nature and Nations and has the Promises so the Lord has appeared an eminent Revenger upon the Breakers of this Oath and Covenant that is to say when Folk hath taken a Lawful Covenant upon them and has broken it God will appear eminently in sending Plagues upon them And for
it which I will not grant for there was at that time a Power for it I will not take upon me to dispute the Power that Parliaments have without a King it 's far above my hand yet I say the Parliament has Power to put Folk to Duty nill they will they IV. For making the Covenant valid and lawful something may be added to it afterward though not at the present time yet seeing it is afterwards added it is enough but so was it with our Covenant there was a frequent Consent given to it by our King and also it was subscribed by him which is sufficient to make our Vows stand Numb 30. we see if a Husband or Parent hold their Peace when they heard a Woman vow the Vow did stand much more if the Husband or Parent take the Vow upon themselves I know no shadow imaginable of Excuse for them the Word of God which stands sure makes against them and since it is so our King and Parliament cannot retract what they have done Objection 2 d. Some will say there is no Man but knows that the King has taken the Covenant for it was not done in a Corner but he may break because he was forced to it and he was not absolutâ—ly free Answ I. We did not hear tell of this before now if any Man would have said at that time that he was constrained to take it he would be counted a very uncharitable Constructer II. Suppose that he was not free which I will never grant and â—â—ppose he was forced to the Oath yet Scripture makes it out that a Man's Swearing though he was not free must stand to it Though it was â—â—t a spontaneous Act yet at was a most voluntary Act. Again Consider this in Zedekiah he was a Captive to whom To a Heathen now no Man will say a Captive is a free Man and a liberate Man yet he swearing to the King of Babylon a Heathen and breaking his Oath afterwards God's Vengeance came upon him for there is no dallying with God in these Matters for all Casuists say If a Man swear to a Robber to give him so much to spare his Life he must keep his Oath if it be in his power though it be to his hurt I shall say no more on this but I am hopeful if you will receive the Word in Love ye shall have wherewith to answer your Adversaries in the Gate Objection 3 d. The solemn League and Covenant must be broken because we are not bound to keep with them that brake to us first but it is so betwixt Us and England Ergo. Ans Is there not many make this Objection which I dare say never read the Covenant Thou poor blind Creature how dare thou speak of it These that will say so it seems they never understood the League and Covenant because it is not a Bargain betwixt two Parties on Earth the one whereof breaking the other is free but these 3 Lands is one Party and the God of Heaven is the other Party therefore though England should break should Scotland break also the Covenant It is not after this Tenor We will endeavour Reformation in these Lands but if you break we will break also No it 's each Man swearing for himself that he shall in his Place and Station endeavour Reformation so that if it were left all to one Man he must endeavour Reformation For consider the last words of the Article each of them for themselves did lift up their hands to the Most High and so these 3 Lands are one Party and the other Party is the God of Heaven Consider seriously upon it for it 's the thing you must either suffer for or sin ere it be long without Remedy Whatever England and Ireland have done in breaking the Covenant we say they justly must smart for it according to the Word of God if God in mercy prevent it not nevertheless as long as there is in these Lands any who keep the Covenant we are bound to keep it and suppose there are many who had rather suffer for it than sin as Witness the many scattered Flocks and Shepherds in these Lands and supposing this were not though both England and Ireland should â—uite it yet Scotland is bound to it Objection 4 th We swear in the League and Covenant to that which is impossible and therefore it cannot be keeped Answâ—â— If all these 3 Kingdoms who have taken the Oath upon them would â—incerely stand to it I hope there should be no need to stand out agaiâ—â—t it The Objection is in this We have sworn to reform England noâ— for Answer We are not sworn to reform England neither is England â—worn to reform Scotland but that which is sworn is this Each of them are to endeavour in their Places and Callings the Reformation of Religion in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government in these Lands and to reform England according to the Word of God and the best Reformed Churches For though we had never sworn an Oath we are bound to promote the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ So that the Objection is rather out of Malice against the Word of God than any conscionable Principle he is not worth the Name of a Christian that condemns this for it is contrary to the Petition Thy Kingdom come So that we should study all Kingdoms Reformation that they may become the Kingdoms of our Lord. If the King and Parliament were studying to reform as much as they are studying to deface and deform there should be no need of this Objection Objection 5 th The Covenant which these Kingdoms entred into as to their own Reformation and as to the Reformation of all the rest it was too rashly and inconsiderately gone about Answer I. I question if any of you who moves the Objection knows what Consideration is was there not Deliberation when there was Protestants and Remonstrators for the poor Lands and at last they came to this with it to enter into Covenant wherefore it seems it was not indeliberate II. There was more Deliberation in it than many other Oaths in Scripture and yet they did stand as Judges 11.35 the Vow of Jephâ—hah when he met his Daughter who will deny but that was a rash Oath to vow whatsoever came out of his door first he should offer it up to the God of heaven And yet it did bind him while he says Alace my daughter thou hast brought me very low And might not his Daughter have said Father it 's but a rash Vow break it Nay says he I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back III. To confirm it more What would you think of a Covenant made between the People of the Lord and Heathens and no Counsel sought from the Lord Jos 9. The Covenant is made there with the People of Israel and the Gibeonites there you will see a Vow very rashly taken yea not so much as to seek Counsel from the Lord
and Israel made Peace with them The Princes of the Congregation swore unto them Now I hope none of you will deny but God's Counsel was sought to our Covenants which was not sought in that Covenant and yet for the Breach of it all the Land did smart as you may see 2 Sam. 21. Therefore I conclude Though a Covenant be entred into rashly and want many things for making it compleat yet opening the Mouth to the Lord we cannot go back or else we must expect the Wrath and Vengeance of God Objection 6 th The Covenant cannot be binding because the Parties dealt craftily with us Answer I. England is not our Party that we covenanted with but all the 3 Lands together as one Party and God the other Party with whom they covenanted II. Consider Josh 9. and you will find how little weight this Objection hath in Matter of Covenanting It 's said in the 4 th Verse They did work wilily and went as if they had been Ambassadours yet Joshua the Princes entred into Covenant with them and when it was broken the Land of Israel did smart for it Objection 7 th The Covenant binds us to things that are not particularly set down but are so general as keep us in doubt the Ground whereof is this because we swear in general to endeavour the Reformation of England according to the best Reformed Churches but these Churches were not particularly set down and pitched upon therefore it cannot stand Answer I. If there be any Man that would have a more particular Rule than the Word of God for Reformation he must be sent to another Land to seek another Gospel from Jews or Turks and if it be so then there is not a Rule among us II. Comparing one part of the Covenant with another it s most particularly set down and determined As 1 st the Covenant is clear the Reformation must not be Popery 2 dly The Bishops Prelates Arch-Bishops Deans Chapters Curates c. I say the Covenant is clear in chief if it lays aside all these things what I pray you remains in Debate then I know nothing except you make it either a Presbyterian or Independent Covenant and at that time Independency was to be brought to Presbytery now since they pass by all these things I hope the Matter is not left in the dark as some think it is Objection 8 th Supposing the Covenant binds the Land yet it binds none but these that took it Answ Now I perceive there are many of you young and ranting Blades that think your selves happy Youths because ye never took the Covenant But I have a word to speak to such from the Scriptures and therefore take it with you Where ever a King and the Princes of a Land take a Covenant the rest of the Land are bound to it as you may see in that Covenant with the Gibeonites The People there did not swear yea they murmured against the Oath but though the People did not swear yet the Princes say We have sworn to the Lord we cannot touch them Therefore do not beguile your selves ye stand as surely engaged to it as I or he who did subscribe it with our hands Therefore the Breach of it shall be required at your hands be you young or old Men or Women and therefore remember the 9. of Joshua The Children of Israel did not smite them because the Princes had sworn the Oath Might not the People have said Let them keep it who did swear it But it is not so for they say We have all sworn it therefore we must not touch them Object 9. Suppose it binds this Generation yet it cannot bind our Posterity Answer This same Generation that did swear it hath broken it and I fear the same Generation shall be punish'd for it 2 dly The Covenant doth directly bind all following Generations That our Children after us be found walking in Faith and Love that the Lord may dwell among us these are the very words of the Covenant For what end was these words put in Was it nor to bind our Posterity and to keep Conformity and Unity and to bind them to the Word of God But you 'll say There is no mention of the Posterity Ans There was no Mention made of the Posterity of Israel when the People of Israel made that Covenant with the Gibeonites neither was there mention made of the Gibeonites Posterity yet you may see the Covenant binding to their Posterity as is clear Josh 9. compared with 2 Sam. 21. so then you must understand that the Covenant is absolute therefore I conclude that as sure as Sun and Moon endures in the Firmament if there be any Generation in these Three Lands God will require the Breach of His Covenant at their hands and his Vengeance shall be upon them if they repent not Object 10. The King and Estates of the Land found hurt in keeping it Ans Ay but read Psalm 15.1 4. He that sweareth to his hurt and changeth not Object 11. There will be eminent Advantages by the breaking of it Ergo. Answer For my self I do not understand any Advantage to these Three Lands comparable to the Solemn League this is my Judgment But will you consider the Covenant betwixt Joshua and the Gibeonites it was a Covenant contrary to God's Command yet His Name being taken in it could not he retracted they dealt wilily with him and they sought no Counsel from the Lord and they were suspecting it in the mean time and they knew it within 3 days afterward yet because of the Breach of it though it was broken out of Zeal to the Children of Israel yet the People did smart for it by 3 Years Famine and when it was broken it was not the same Generation that broke it I believe and set all the Three Kingdoms Wit together they will not get as many Excuses for the Breaches of the Covenant of our Kingdom as Zedekiah had for his Covenant For first his was contrary to God and his People for he had promised to the People within 70 Years to be delivered now the Covenant was to keep them in Captivity and to keep the Kingdom in Subjection 2 dly He was a Captive and so forced to it 3 dly The Covenant was made with a Heathenish King it was the direct Intent of the Covenant to make the Kingdom base as it is in the 14 verse that it might not lift up it self Now what could have been a greater Excuse to have broken the Covenant than for him to have said I cannot keep this Covenant because I will prove false to my People for I was a Captive when he made me swear c Therefore might he say I will break it But saith God It is my Covenant therefore I will recompense it upon his own head And therefore I conclude That whoever enters into Covenant be what he will especially when he is commanded he must keep it For he that breaks it God's Vengeance