the flesh in all the carnal desires of it Who keep not Covenant with him And men generally would needs be admitted Christians under the signal of the Cross binding themselves manfully to â—ight under Christs banner against all these Enemies and to continue Christs faithful soldiers and servants Fâ—ther General Now how we have kept this Covenant in this our nation generally whether better then those hypocritical and carnal worshippers who had made a Covenant with God by sacrifice against whom God himself became judg testifying against them for their hypocrisie in worship for their disobedience in practise and for prophaning his Covenant and casting his words behind them the whole world that knoweth how it hath been with us especially of latter years and our own consciences can easily witness and judg How light have we made of Christ the Lord who was given us by a Covenant of his faithful Ministers the messengers of his Covenant and of their mâ—ssage and ministry whom we silenced As doing contrary to the practise of the good 〈◊〉 of Israel 2 Chro. â— 4.2 3 5 chap. 15.8 16. molested banished what some godly Kings of Judah did by way of Reformation when in thankfulness for great mercies they renewed their Covenant with him and with one another we were such as did the quite contrary King Asa with his covenanting demolished Idolatry as formerly in Judah so also in Israel yea deposed his own mother because she had made an Idol We have sought to bring Idolatry and Popish superstition into the Land again and have given way too far to the practise of it by Papists and such as were Popishly affected King Asa restored Gods true worship in both Kingdoms Chap. 14.4 15.8 Israel and Judah renewing the altar of the Lord We sought to pull down and corrupt Gods true Worship in both Kingdoms England and Scotland and to rear and set up Idolatrous altars to a breaden God Ch. 15.3 with vers 8 9. He set up in Israel a teaching ministry as other good Kings and Governors did 2 Chron. 17.4 6 7 8 9. We have endeavored yea actually have pulled down and taken away many Lectures and afternoon Sermons and silenced or driven away such Ministers as were most faithful painful and constant in preaching yea even in that regard And was it not time for God by sending the sword to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant Not to speak of the prophaness of most mens lives contrary to their Covenant in Baptism as if indeed they had made a covenant with the devil to do all his works instead of forsaking them with the world to follow the vain pomp and glory and covetous desires of it and with the flesh to be led by the carnal desires of it And the sword being come how have men sided not only Papists but others in forsaking the banner of Christ and fighting for Antichrist and under colour of fighting for Queen Elizabeths Religion have fought for Queen Maries Religion and against the true orthodox and sound Religion and Worship Was this that which their Baptism under the sign of the Cross bound them too Oh! It s a dangerous thing either to forsake the Covenant of God Ier. 22.7 8 9. or to oppose it by fighting or being against it as was Antiochus Epiphanes Dan. 11 28-30 And howsoever our Parliament hath given us and doth stil give us good hopes of a Reformation according to Gods Word and a bringing us back to the Covenant of our God both in matter of doctrine discipline and a more holy life yet whilest this main work of God goeth so slowly forward whilest discipline is not yet settled or so bounded as it should be and whilest such connivence if not in effect a toleration is suffered for men to speak hold write and do what they list that men may make themselves vile and yet at least as yet by no law established or executed be restrained or frowned upon by such as should restrain them we have no cause to be secure but to fear the return of the sword out of some quarter of the world or other or from within our selves as formerly God will not be dallyed withal And if God so judg us as he did old Eli and his house 1 Sam. 3 13 14 and that our sins be not purged with sacrifice or offering and that our monethly Humiliations prove rather as they are kept provocations we have none to blame but our selves Gods ways and judgments will ever appear to be righteous 2. And if we look to particular Vows and Covenants dayly broken by all sorts must not all justifie God 2. Particular as holy and righteous in such evils as have befaln them or may yet befal them Oh what vows and promises do men make to God in time of their troubles fears and dangers and yet how soon broken and forgotten when these are over What protestations imprecations taking heaven and earth to witness our sincere intentions and yet how little conscience made of performance Are not men yet sensible of these things If God make such men yet to smart must he not be acknowledged just What cause even the better party in the Land have to be humbled and to fear sharper rods upon this ground of careless keeping our late Covenant and national League we shal enquire into and examine anon 2. In the mean time 2. To be excited and incouraged to keep Covenant with God 2 Châ—â— 13 9 10 11 12. it would be much to the abatement of our fears and to our incouragement and hopes of good success in all our undertakings especially when we have to deal with a Malignant party and these are such as we have most cause to fear if we could truly reason as King Abijah against King Ieroboam making War with him have not ye cast out the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron and the Levites and have made you Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands But as for us the Lord is our God and we have not forsaken him and the Priests Which minister unto the Lord are the sons of Aaron neither Baals Priests nor Priests of their own making We keep the charge of the Lord our God but ye have forsaken him And behold God himself is with us for our Captain ver 17 18. â—ight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers for you shall not prosper Neither did they prosper there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men The blessings hereof c. and the children of Iudah prevailed because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers and kept the Covenant made with their fathers Howsoever God would be some way or other with us if we were with him 2 Chron. 15.2 At least whatsoever our case should be we might hence be comforted in our troubles and in like integrity say and appeal to God Psa 44 17 18 as the
by converting and turning us both to him whom can we for our parts blame or what may probably be thought the cause thereof unless it be that we have not performed the words much less the matter of the Covenant which we made before the Lord. Did we not all and each one of us for himself Main articles of 〈◊〉 not observed by us with hands lifted up to the most high God swear and Covenant to endeavour as the preservation of the reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common enemies So the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches How is it that the very words in this last clause and some others being otherwise plain enough will not be understood much less performed as if some Monster were hid in them Why is not the Reformation in seven years perfected or Discipline established made free and authorized though often ordered and ordained And have we not in like manner covenanted to endeavour without respect of persons the extirpation as of Popery Prelacy Superstition so of Heresie Schism Prophaness and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness c. But to consider how Heresie Schism and Licentiousness both of doctrine and lâ—fe grow and increase almost beyond number being also many of them so abominable blasphemous dishonorable to God The increase of Schiâ—m Heresies c. pernicious to mens souls and that even since we would seem humbled in solemn manner for the increase and growth of Errors to see how these and how looseness of life also are connived at in some and unpunished in all or most For my part I must profess it amazeth me and strikes astonishment in my heart wondring at the patience of God as not able almost to conceive any reason why God doth not from heaven visibly and remarkably shew his vengeance not only on the Hereticks Schismaticks and prophane Libertines themselves but on such as have more power given them of God to restrain at least such evils then they use or then they will use Not restrained whereby at least a secret and implicite if not open toleration is allowed to all sorts to think hold spread and practise what every one pleaseth and that without any visible or real endeavours to restrain them The theam is too large unpleasant to dilate on Only I wil say referring to what * Mr Newcâ—men and Mâ— Case in their Sermons others have said in this kind and charged home upon the Parliament in their Applications to them more fully that all my wit and charity cannot extend so far as to conceive there can be any true zeal of Godsglory hearty love to the truth of God or to the true establishment thereof or yet any true Christian charity to mens souls if such a general toleration be permitted as is feared Neither shall I ever wonder or complain if God bring upon the Nation as great judgments as any he hath brought upon others in like case or unheard of and new plagues for such reviving of old Heresies and broaching of new being especially so winked at to say no more Secondly 2 To such as stand out against it For such as yet are professed enemies to this national Covenant who commonly are such as are loose enough in their Covenant with God as Christians I wonder what peace they can expect from God whilest either they joyn not in so needful a contract as the times are and side not with God and his cause and people against sin the world flesh and devil as yet by Baptism they seemed to covenant with him and against Antichristian doctrine discipline and devotion and also practises or that they oppose and fight against those that have so covenanted They may remember how Irelands Parliament declaring themselves against the covenanters in Scotland had the sword at their heels presently in the breaking out of that hellish barbarous popish Rebellion and Missacre there and what hath befaln that party in England which seconded them to their power by taking up Arms against the contents of that Covenant or what those may yet expect who persist in that enmity still or otherwise retract or would make themselves free of that their Obligation and Vow For us all of both parties I say only this I wish 3 To all of both parties that as we have still cause to expect greater evils so the true cause were not specially found in our breach of Covenant with God and man 〈◊〉 have heard how with other evils it threatens change of Government The Kingdom threatned 〈◊〉 cease and brought upon Israel and then upon Iudah a ceasing of the Kingdom when they shall say We have no King Now when should they say this and why I take it is not so much meant of Zedekiah 2 Kings 24.15 16 1â— and 15 〈◊〉 when he was carryed away captive into Babylon as of the King of Israel namely King Hoshea the last King of the ten tribâ—s And why because he kept not Covenant with him 2 King 17.1 2 3 4 c. after whom was no appearance of any royal Government as partly was in Iudah presently after the captivity and in the times long after till Christ their spiritual King came but if we refer it to Manasseh the last Kinâ— of Iudah then the words may relate to that his Covenant in this 34 of â—eremy which he turned from and that caused the return of the Babylonish army as we have heard I make no application only the Lord give grace and wisdom to all of this our Nation of all sorts that our averseness to or looseness in our keeping our Vows with God and man bring not like evils upon us Amen FINIS
broken up upon the approach of some ayd from Egypt Verse 21. The return of the Sword threatned whereby they were more hardened For having in their danger when the enemy was at hand made some shew of remorse and repentance renewed their Covenants with God and the people and made by Covenant some kind of Reformation by proclaiming liberty to their Hebrew servants whom Exod. 21 2-11 against the Law of God and the limited time of six years they kept in service now when their danger seemed to be over they reassumed them contrary to the Covenant of God hoping the Caldeans would never return again to the siege from which they were gone Jer. 37.5 Now for this their breach of Govenant they are here reproved vers 12 13 c. and threatned verâ— 17 18. and especially as here in my text Behold I will command c. From this coherence we note The coherence Note how apt men are to make vows then to break them how ready men are in their straits and present dangers to vow and promise largely both to God and man yea and to do somewhat for present ease and safety but yet how forgetful to perform with either God or man when their own turn is served and they delivered An usual thing in all ages See Judges 10.11 12 13-15 16. Hosea 5.15 6.1 with 4. The Reason hereof is the Deceitfulness of mens hearts Reason till they be purged rectified and made sincere Jer. 17.9 A notable example of this we have Psal 78.34 35 36 37. where the heart is not right with God men cannot be stedfast in his Covenant Vse 1. There is no trusting such promises as men make to God Vse 1 or man in times of their straits unless such Promises Protestations and Covenants be out of real conviction of conscience and with respect not to their present ease ends or advantage which once obtained the true grounds of their promises cease but to conscience God or duty 2. It should teach us to be wary and very considerate in vowing promising and covenanting as knowing we have deceitful hearts of which we should be jealous Neither is it to presume on our own strength for performance as not in promising and vowing to look to any low end or to aym lower then Gods glory some way or other If we do ought of this nature by compulsion or in our straits it commonly holds not longer then our own ends are attained but then we break with God and provoke God to break in upon us one way or other and to bring the evil upon us which we feared and for the preventing and avoyding of which we were so forward to vow as here in the text In which words we have this one thing chiefly to consider namely the hainousness and hatefulnes of this sin of breach of Covenant with God Of which in the last place But first briefly to hint only other things and not to handle them We have here first Parts of the Text. 1 A Denunâ—â—ation oâ— judgment 2. The Success thereof â—efore which a note of attention 〈◊〉 A fearful Denunciation whereby Jeremy gives King Zedekiah and his Princes into the hands of his and their enemies for their disobedience and breach of Covenant Secondly Certain effects and success of it 1. Against Jerusalem which are three 2. Against the Cities of Judah which is Desolation Before all which is premised a note of Attention Behold I will command c. This called on them 1. to look back to call to mind and view their sins first and last as the just provokers of Gods wrath that so if possible and if it were not too late they might be brought back to repentance or howsoever see and be convinced of the righteousness of Gods judgment thus denounced against them 2. To look forward and to expect certain wrath from God c. Note Note Gods Word and threatnings by his servants and all signs holding forth his wrath would diligently and attentively be observed by us and warning thereby taken Herein King Zedekiah failed â— Châ—o 36 1â— as not humbling himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. This may be of Vse to us To them it proved an irrevocable sentence In the Denâ—ncâ—ation such as we also may expect if in time we behold not such things to purpose 1. In the Denunciation take notice 1. Of the Authority by which the Prophet denounceth this evil saith the Lord so vers 1â— 13. 1 The Authority by which the Prophet 〈◊〉 it Doctâ— It was the Word of the Lord which came to â—râ—miah from the Lord himself c. Note In 〈◊〉 our reproofs and Denunciations we Ministers must do all by or according at least to Gods Word so shewing what God will do but doing nothing on our heads or in our own names Our words if not so taken will 〈◊〉 be but as wind Jer 5.12 13. and lose their weight and authority which concerns the people also to look unto that they receive Gods Word as his Word 1 Thes 2.13 otherwise no profit will redound to them from it as not to young Samuâ—l till he left running to old Eli and acknowledged God speaking to him nor to Eli himself but as he saw God speaking to Samuel and so he beleeved Samuel though a very child telling him from God of the destruction of his house 1 Sam. 3 7 8 10 11 18. and so humbly submitted to the will of God saying It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Quest But yet concerning us in these days it will be asked Quest With what certainty Ministers now fâ—retel of judgments With more then conjectural certainty what certainty is or can be in our like denunciations Me thinks I hear some say as once Satan to the exorcists Iesus I know and Paul I know and Samuel I know Ezekiel and Ieremiah I know but who are you Can you so plainly and peremptorily denounce judgments and particularly the Sword to us now To this I answer what we as Gods Ministers can do in this kind may in good part appear by that which hath been already done in this our Nation The Prophets of old were bâ—d to prophâ—â—y and say Thus saith the Lord say a sword Ez k 21 9 10 12 c. a sword is sharpâ—ed also fourbished c. It shal be upon my people c. And it was upon that people Even so deny it who can of latter years Upon what grounds before the sword came on England the faithful Ministers of Iesus Christ as with one mouth throughout the Land denounced the judgment of the sword and forewarned our people of it and lo Isaiah 44.26 behold it is come for God hath now as well as of old confirmed the word of his servant and performed the counâ—el of his mâ—ssengers And we upon as good and probable grounds forewarn you of
others sin and causes at least occasions of their punishments Such general Desolations are the fruit of sin persisted in against former mercies and lesser chastisments from God Desolation Which is a fruit of haâ—dness of heaâ— Psal 107 34. unto which sencâ—less sinners are at length given over God is provoked at length to turn a fruitful Land into barrenness for the wickedness of them that dwel therein As sin dispeopled the whole world in the flood and the paradise of the world the Land of Iudah for now was accoâ—plished that wrath â—olong foretold by the Prophet Isâ—â—â— in the desolationâ—o this people for their obstinacy Their hearts were made fat to that the word in the Ministry of it had no saving effect on the most of them Isai 6.10 11 â—â— 13. 〈◊〉 which their obstinacy was to continue so long until their Cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man and the land be utterly desolate desolate with desolation and the Lord have removed men far away and there be a great forsaking in the Land Such desolations must they expect at length who neglect lesser warning and who harden themselves against the word mercies judgments and forget their vows promises and Covenants with God and man For this is that sin here which added to their former sins made them ripe for destruction and for which this great desolation by the return of the Babylonish Army came upon them Now from the whole Verse observe Doctrine Breach of Covenant is an haynous sin which God will by no means pass by in his people unpunished It causeth The main Doctrine from the whole verse as here irrevocable judgments Where I speak not of unlawful or sinful Covenants which are better broken by repentance and pardon begged of God for that rashness which was in the making of them Such was that of those Iews who more then fourty of them Breach of Covenant punished by the sword banded together to kill Paul Acts 23.12 But of lawful Covenants whether only 1. Civil Whereby men ingage themselves one to another in civil respects only as when Abimelech and Abraham covenanted and sware one to another at Beersheba Covenants distinguished or the well of the oath Gen. 21.27 30.31 And when Iacob and Laban covenanted at Galeed Gen. 31.44 52. Or 2. Religious To yeeld obedience to God according to his will or to seek God as when Iehojada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King that they should be the Lords People 2 Chron. 23.16 And so when Ezra made a Covenant for himself and the people with God to put away all their strange wives c. Ezra 10.3 See also Nehem. 9.38 10.1 c. 29.30 c. Or 3. Mixt Such was that also of Iehosaphat which was made not only between the Lord the King and people but between the King also and the people 2 Kings 11.17 And of this nature is our national Covenant Now God will severely punish the breach of all these sorts of Covenants And God puniâ—heth breach of Covenants of all sorts for so he hath done 1. For Civil As that made Ezek. 17. between the King of Iudah and the King of Babylon 1 Civil against whom after he had taken an oath he rebelled in sending his Embassadors into Egypt that they might give him horses and much people But what saith God Shall he prosper Shall he escape that doth such things Ezek. 17 15 16 19. Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose oath he despised and whose Covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall dye c. See also 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. c. with Iosh 9.15 2. For Religious Covenants Thus Isai 24.1 2. 2 Religious the Lord threatneth doleful judgments to fall upon the Land Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it wast and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof c. The Land shall be utterly emptied and utterly spoiled c. But why is all this Isai 24 1 2 3 4 5 6. Because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant therefore hath the curse devoured the earth and they that dwel therein are desolate So the Army of Israel could not prosper at Aj nor stand before their enemies though Gods promise was to be with them Why Josh 7 11 12. Because Israel saith the Lord hath sinned and they have also transgressed my Covenant and yet it was but one man Achan with his family that had taken of the accursed thing and stollen who accordingly were destroyed So for profanation of the Sacraments signs of the Covenant and of holy things see how God takes such wicked ones up Psal 50.16.17 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth c. 3. So for Mixt Covenants 3 Mixt. In King Asa his days they bound themselves by a renewed Covenant to God and one to another that they would seek the Lord God of Israel and so by mutual covenanting to destroy Idolatry and the groves and superstitious worship they bound themselves and submitted to the penalty of death 2 Chron. 15.13 14. c. So acknowledging that not only Idolatry and breach of mens general Covenant with God deserved death but that they by vertue of this their covenanting one with another which they did to shew their thankfulness to God for that late great victory were bound without any pity or partiality to see Gods Will and Law ' Deut. 13.1 2 3 4. c. in such case executed and fulfilled But especially the Instance in my Text is remarkable King Zedekiah had made a Covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty unto them as Jer. 34.9 10. But afterwards they turned and caused the servants and handmaids whom they had let go free to return and brought them into subjection c. verse 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord verse 18. I will give the men that have transgressed my Covenant which have not performed the words of the Covenant which they had made before me even the Princes of Judah and of Jerusalem the Eunuchs and the Priests and all the people of the Land which passed between the parts of the Calf I will give them into the hand of their enemies and of them that seek their life And then as in my Text I will command and cause them to return to this City and they shall fight against it and take it and burn it with fire c. Where we may observe God verse 18. cals that his Covenant which the King and Princes had made with their servants before him i. in his presence taking him to witness so when men Covenant one with another by
oath especially and sacrifice that Covenant is called Gods Covenant so that breaking it we are truly said yea and by God taken to brâ—â—k with him Where we must know that a Covenant may be said to be Gods Covenant two ways either when men immediatly bind themselves unto God Per modum Obligationis and when he is the party covenanted withall as in such Covenants as are meerly Religious and Sacramental Or when men bind themselves one to another according to God Per modum Attestationis though to an Heathen and Infidel yet in the name of God and as in his sight he being taken and called to witness to judg and to avenge the breach of it This God accounts his Covenant Reasons hereof Now why or whence is it that the Breach of Vow Oath and Covenant is so hateful hainous and so plagued and punished I answer first 1 By our breach with God we set God loose from his promise of protection which is conditional especially if we speak of the former sort of Covenants meerly religious we can have no security from his wrath or hope of freedom from any evil by vertue of any Promise or Covenant of God further then we keep Covenant with God seeing his promises as they are propounded generally so conditionally and howsoever in regard of the Elect the promises of God are sure though conditionally propounded yet as concerning them his promise is more absolute yea such as undertakes on their behalf for the conditions too as elswhere in a * Gods cortain performance of his conditional promises as concerning the elect Treatise published on that argument is fully shewed yet seeing they are not usually made good to any but in a conditionall way Gods performance on his part cannot be expected unless there be a performance on our part 2 Chron. 15.2 if ye forsake him he will forsake you Indeed whilest we keep Covenant with him he is pleased to bind himself so fast to us that he gives us power in a manner to command him to grant or do what we would have him to do for us according to his Word Thus saith the Lord Ask of me things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of mine hands command ye me Isai 45 11 And hereupon thus spake Joshua to the Lord and he said in the sight of Israel Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the valley of Ajalon And the Sun stood still Josh 10 12 13 and the Moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies It was not thus as we heard when the people at the siege of Aj transgressed Gods Covenant where God fought not for but against Israel In like manner where people having broken Covenant and transgressed do renew Covenant with God promise and truly intend to depend wholly on God in their straits for protection and safety there they have God who otherwise was ready to destroy them renewing his promise to them of protection according to that Hosea 14.1 2 3 4. And so Gods people whilest they keep or otherwise renew Covenant with God they as it were hold Gods hands as Moses did and keep off wrath from themselves and others for so it pleaseth him to bind himself to his people but when they break Covenant with him and continue in so doing they set him free and let him loose and make Gods Covenant voyd on his part as for any performance they in their transgression and impenitency can expect from him by vertue of any promise of his unto them which was only conditional And so they must accordingly look to know his breach of promise as he is pleased to speak or the altering of his purpose Numb 14.34 or his breaking off with them as the Israelites in the wilderness did find it whose carcasses accordingly fell in the wilderness In a word the breach of Covenant with God or enmity against his Covenant or against the people of his Covenant procures the Sword which is sent to avenge the quarrel of the Covenant Lev. 26.25 Another Reason 2 Gods name is thereby polluted why breach of Gods Covenant and our own is so severely punished is because God thereby is the more dishonored Every sin is a dishonor and disobedience to God but this a pollution of his name though it be of a Covenant meerly civil Such Covenants though made with Infidels being Gods Covenants made with Infidels or mixt being made before him or in his sight and presence as witness thereunto Hence as we have heard God calls such a Covenant his Covenant so King Iehoiakims Covenant with the King of Babylon is called and therefore is so severely threatned and punished for 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 recompence upon his own head Ezek. 17.19 and Verse 20. I will bring him to Babylon and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me and yet it was against the King of Babylon that he rebelled whose Covenant he brake and whose Oath he despised as Vers 13 14-16 What Covenant we make with others in Gods name as when we swear it must be only in the name of our God its part of his honor God accounts his and so the dishonor is his also when Covenants with men are broken yea it is the greater because his name is thereby polluted So the Lord speaks here in this instance of King Zedekiah Vers 15 16 17 18. ye had made a Covenant before me in the house which is called by my name But ye turned and polluted my name c. Therefore I will give the men that have transgressed my Covenant into the hand of their enemies c. This is because Gods name comes thus to be blasphemed evil thought and evil spoken of not only by the Heathen but by the prophaner sort of common professors especially if Covenants made in the name of God be not kept with them And therefore doth God in zeal to his own honor which is ingaged in all such Covenants punish with greater severity the breach thereof This circumstance that such whether only civil or mixt Covenants are Gods brings a greater guilt upon the breach thereof The marriage contract is Gods Covenant and is therefore punished by Gods Law with death not only of the body but eternal Prov. 2.17 18 The strange woman which forsaketh the guide of her youth and forgetteth the Covenant of her God it is said her house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead 2 Sam. 5 11 1 Kings 5 1 9 9 13. Davis and Solomon made a civil Covenant with Hiram King of Tyrus and the breach of it is punished in Tyrus For three trangressions of Tyrus and for four I wil not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole
captivity to Edom and remembred not the brotherly Covenant or the Covenant of brethren But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus which shall devour the pallaces thereof Amos 1.9 10. I would conclude this reason by remembring you of that notable and famous instance of latter times mentioned by so many yet minded by a few only in that famous battel of Varna fought Novemb. 10.1444 between Amurath the sixth and Vladislaus King of Hungary who having made a League or Covenant of peace with the Emperor of the Turks was afterwards perswaded by Iulian the Popes Legat to violate the League and to make war upon the Turk who fared accordingly in the end When Amurath was almost put to the worst he plucks out of his bosom the writing which contained the late League and holding it aloft in his hand his eyes lift up to heaven he utters these words Behold thou crucified Christ this is the League thy people in thy name made with me and now have violated without a cause If thou be a God as they say thou art shew thy power and pour out thy wrath upon this perjured people Hereupon though this Turk in thus speaking blasphemed the name of Christ yet Christ to vindicate his own honor will do a Turk right and justice the battel turns the perfidious Christian King and many of his chief Commanders slain the whole Army routed great part of that Country lost Lo the fruit of the violation of Faith and Covenant for politick advantage c. and lo how zealous Christ is of his name that it be not blasphemed by the Heathen or any other The third and last Reason 3 Thereby moe bonds are broken is because the breach or not observing the Covenant of our God is a sin against moe bonds not only against the bond of nature of Gods mercies and benefits and of preservation and redemption both temporal and spiritual which tye and bind more naturally by a natural kind of obligation but against a more voluntary and deliberate Act of a mans own doing and yeilding to so that though God seem to pass by other sins for a long while And therfore though he pass by other sinns yet he wil not pass by this yet he wil not pass by this Thus God did bear with many provocations and murmurings of his people coming out of Aegypt five at least or six But when once they but so much as yeilded to the terms of the Covenant they were then A large instance and ever after sensibly punished till at length when in all they had provoked him ten times their judgement became irrevocable so that he sware in his wrath they should never enter into his rest Exod. 14.11 12 13. Numb 14.21 22 23. They murmured 1. At the red sea yet not a word of reproof only Moses comforted them saying fear not stand stil see the salvation of the Lord c. 2. At Marah 15.24 25 26. where the waters were bitter but so was not God The Lord shewed Moses a tree which cast in made the waters sweet 3. At Sin where they wanted bread c. would God we had dyed in Aegypt c. But the Lord said I will rain bread from heaven for you 16.2 3 4 5 c. 4. They tempted God twice about Manna 1. In reserving it till the morning contrary to Gods command vers 19 20 only Moses was wroth with them 2. In seeking it on the Sabbath v. 26 27 28 29. when God told them there should be none where they escaped only with a gentle chiding from the Lord. 6. At Rephidim for want of water where as they chide Moses Moses also chides them Exod. 17.1 2 3 c. But when once the Law was propounded to them and they had yeelded to the terms of the Covenant saying Exod. 19. 5.8 All that the Lord hath spoken we wil do though alas they wanted power an heart so to do and when once at the Mount they in Moses absence who was to bring them the Covenant in writing had made the golden calf the Lord takes special notice of it owns them not for his people saying to Moses Thy people have corrupted themselves they so uncovenanted themselves Exod. 32.7 8 10 11 14. v. 27 28 35 and God takes notice how quickly they had turned aside out of the way which he commanded Hereupon threatens to consume them And though seemed to spare them a while at Moses request yet Moses at Gods command causeth the idolaters about three thousand men to be slain and the Lord plagued the people This was their seventh provocation This and their after sins brought all their former provocations into remembrance being looked on as breaches also of Covenant so that eighthly when at Taberah they complained upon weariness Numb 11.1 The Lords anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burnt among them in the uttermost parts of the camp v. 4 5 6 33. and when ninthly they fell a lusting for flesh and loathed Manna at Kibroth-hattaavah Psa 1â—6 15. quails were given them in wrath leanness was sent into their souls and while the flesh was yet between their teeth ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people Psa 78.30 31 and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague Lastly when in Pharan they murmured upon the news of the spies and beleeved not God but rebelled and would needs return to Aegypt distrusting both his power and promise which made the tenth provocation and was an high breach of their Covenant with God being disobedience contrary to their promise and distrust Deut. 1 26-32 for in that thing they did not beleeve their God The Lord came to a peremptory resolution even to swear that because they had now tempted him these ten times surely saith he they shall not see the Land neither shall any of them that provoked me see it save Caleb and Joshua Numb 14.1 2 c 21 23. Where we see that when men in special Covenant with God persist to provoke him every new sin is thence aggravated and old sins called to remembrance Vse fourfold 1. To justifie God in his judgments Psa 145 17. Lev. 26 25. Aâ—pâ—â—câ—tion to us of this Nation and so at length sooner or later certain and irrevocable sentence passeth Vse 1. This may serve to justifie God in all that hath befaln us or which may or shall befal us hereafter teaching us to say The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Seeing he doth but thus avenge the quarrel of his Covenant broken by all sorts 1. Our general Covenant made with God in Baptism requires of us all true faith and the obedience of faith repentance mortification a forsaking of the devil and all his works the world in the pomp and glory and covetous desires of it
Church Psal 44 All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps or goings declined from thy way 3. Be we then exhorted 3 use Exhortation to renew Covenant with God as others have done upon like grounds if not to enter yet to keep or renew our Covenants made with God and with one another in the presence and sight of God We have as good cause thus to do as ever nation had and the same or like occasions What moved King Asa with Iudah and many of Israel solemnly to Covenant with God and one with another and that upon the forfeiture of life if any kept it not 1. Was it not a mercy and a great deliverance 2 Chron. 15. 2 Chron. 15.10 11 12. for which thus they would shew their thankfulness bind themselves to a through Reformation 1. By occasion of mercies and great deliverances Now comes England behind in mercies of this nature or doth it not go before all other Nations in remarkable deliverances Asa was delivered from a mighty Army of the Ethiopians and Israel from Aegypt for which he renews and they are called to enter into Covenant with the Lord and urged to keep it and that because of such deliverance and mercies as Exod. 19.1 2. c. 5. c. 20.2 Already received I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt Thou shalt have no other Gods before me c. The remembrance of which mercy is urged by Ioshuah to make them renew and firmly to keep Covenant with God Iosh 24.2 3 -6.7 c. 14 15.-25.26 Now our deliverances have been from spiritual enemies also as from spiritual Aegypt as from the tyranny of Antichrist that spiritual Pharaoh and from spiritual Babylon and from Popery by a child King Edward and a woman Queen Elizabeth which when Iudah was delivered temporally made them resolve saying Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant c. Isai 50.5 Since we have been miraculously delivered both from spiritual and bodily bondage as from the Popish Spanish Navy in 1588. from the Popish powder plot Anno 1605 and especially from late designs of the Popish and Malignant party and for the discovery and prevention of plots against Parliament and City tending to the utter subversion of Religion and of our Liberties which occasioned the National Covenant between England and Scotland and their joyning in Arms for the Vindication and Defence of their Religion Liberties and Laws against the Popish Prelatical and Malignant party as in their Declaration they have published Besides many no less then an hundred successes deliverances or victories obtained one after another without interruption till the power of the Adversary was wholly broken in remembrance whereof have we not as much cause as ever any had to make keep and renew Covenant with God and among our selves Especially if withall we consider other hoped mercies and the benefits of keeping our Covenant firm with God and with our neighbour-Kingdoms for thus we become strong yea invincible God and good men being in league with us we shal in the end at least be the more prevalent party such a cord is not easily broken Otherwise being divided from God by breach of Covenant made with him or in his name Other good redounding hence by unbelief and impenitency and among our selves by Faction Schisms c. we shall surely in the end fall Thus also the unsound are discovered and we know our enemies at least whom to suspect and to put no trust in Otherwise invisible enemies are most dangerous When once the Lord causeth us to pass under the Rod and brings us into the bond of the Covenant then saith he Ezâ—k 20 37 38. I will purge out from among you the Rebels them that transgress against me Yea the best come thus to be more purged at least to walk more closely with God in all good conscience of our duty whereas till we bind or take our selves bound fast to God by Covenant whether made directly with him as a party or with others in him as a witness or both we walk more loosly and carelesly ready to break with God and man upon small occasions As one being with a Master upon tryal and before he be bound to his Trade by Indenture is reâ—dy to break away without fear of any penalty I wish these our loose times made not this good we should not then play fast and loose as we do both with God and man 2. Another ground or cause of covenanting with God 2 Former corruptions to be covenanted against and of keeping it we find to be when a land or people hath been polluted with Idolatry and Superstition and hath been kept in ignorance of the true God his pure Worship his Laws and Word in a lawless liberty of sinning transgressing his Sabbaths c. For which see 2 Chron. 15 3.-8.-16 Nehem. 9.34 35 -38 with cap. 10.29 30 31. c. Ezra 10.2 3. c. 2 Chron. 23 3.-16 with 17. 29 5 6 -10. 34.21 -25 31. And have not we then like cause Have we not declined and been corrupted in doctrine worship and manners Gods Sabbath turned to play-day Masks and Plays instead of afternoon Sermons and that even at Court And were we not almost quite grown not only slavish but prophane Popish and Superstitious And was not this one ground at least of our covenanting namely to restore Religion to her purity Preface to the Covenant and to preserve her in it and keep it fromâ—â—tter ruin How can we else be thankful for our freedom from such corruptions but by keeping firmly our Covenant with God of a more pure and holy worship and walking with him Lastly Evils inflicted and evils feared or threatned 3 Evils 1. Felâ— have occasioned a new covenanting with God 1. Inflicted as we have seen Nehem. 9.36 37 with 38. So in King Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.8 9 with 10. He exhorting the Levites and recounting the evils which for sin befel Judah and Ierusalem for Loe our Fathers have faln by the sword c Now saith he it is in mine heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his sierce wrath may turn away from us 2. So for feared wrath 2 Feared King Iosiah having read in the book of the Covenant what wrath was due to such sins as his people were guilty of and Huldah having Prophesied the Destruction of Jerusalem 2 Chron. 34 29 30 31. though respited in his days he gathered together all the Elders of Jerusalem and Judah Priests Levites and people and read in their ears all the words of that book and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments with all his heart c. This turned away wrath