Lord their God they shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And if you enquire when this should be The fourth Verse tells you In those dayes And if you ask again what dayes those are Interpreters will tell us of a threefold day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be fulfilled A threefold day of making good the Prophefie 1. The literall day That is The Literall or Inchoative Day That is The Evangelicall or Spirituall Day That is The Vniversall or Perfect Day First There is a literall or inthoative day here prophefied of and that is already past past long since Namely in that day wherein the seventy yeers of the Babylonian Captivity expired then was this Prophesie or Promise begun in part to be accomplished At what time the Captivity of Judah and divers of Israel with them upon their return out of Babylon Ezra 8.21 kept a folemn Fast at the River Ahava to afflict their souls before their God There may you see them going and weeping To seek of him aright way for them and their little ones There you have them Seeking the Lord and enquiring the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And when they came home you may hear some of their Nobles and Priests calling upon them to enter into Covenant so Shechoniah spake unto Ezra the Princes and the People Ezra 10.2 3. We have sinned against the Lord c. Yet now there is hope in Israel toucerning this thing Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God And so you may finde the Levites calling the people to confesse their sins with weeping and supplications in a day of humiliation and at the end of it to Write and Swear and Seal Nehe. 9.4 5. a Covenant with the Lord their God This was the first day wherein this Prophesie began to be fulfill'd in the very letter thereof The second day is the Evangelicall day 2 2 Day â—â—â—nge 〈◊〉 wherein this Promise is fulfilled in a 〈◊〉 or Spirituall sence Namely when the elect of God of what Nation or Language soever being all called the Israelâ—â— Gâ—â— Isal 44.5 as is Prophesied One shall say I am the Lorâ— is and 〈◊〉 shall call him 〈◊〉 by the name of Jacob c. and 〈…〉 by the Name of Israel I say when these in their severall Generations and successions shall turn to the Lord their God either from their Gentilisme and Pagâ—â—â— as in their first conversion to Christianity as 〈◊〉 oâ—serves after the Resurrection of Christ and Mission of the holy â—host A 〈…〉 exinde univerâ—â—s nationes ex veragâ—â—e 〈◊〉 humaniâ—â— gentâ—s ad Dominum Deum ad Dominum â—â—â—â—us câ—us From that day foreward you might behold poâ—r Creatures of all Nations and Languages creeping out of their dark holâ—â— and corners of blindnesse and Idolatry and betaking them to God and his Sâ—n Jesus Christ as to their Law-giver and Saviour or else turning from Antichristian superstition and false wayes of worship as in the after and more full conversion of Churches or Persons purging themselves more and more from the corruptions and mixtures of Popery and Superstitions according to the degree of light and conviction which should break out upon them and asking the way to Sion i. e. The pure way of Gospel Worship according to the fuller and cleerer Manifestations and Revelations of the minde of Christ in the Gospel This was fulfilled in Luthâ—â—s time and in all those after Separations which any of the Churches have made from Rome and from those Reliques and remains of Superstition and will-worship wherewith themselves and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ have been defiled The third day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be made good 3 3 Day Univerfall is that Vniversall day wherein both Jow and Gentile shall convert unto the Lord. That Day of the Restitution of all things as some good Devinâ—s conceive When ten men out 〈◊〉 all Lanâ—◠〈…〉 the Nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is Jew saying 〈◊〉 will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zâ—ch 8.23 And to what purpose is more fully exprest in the former Verses answering the Prophesie in the Text. Vers 20. Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cities Vers 21. And the Inhabitants of one Citie shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Vers 22. Yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and pray before the Lord. This I call the Vniversall day because as you see there shall be such an abundance of confluence of Citiâ—s and People and Nations combining together in an holy League and Covenant to seek the Lord. And a Perfect day because the minde and will of the Lord shall be fully revealed and manifested to the Saints concerning the way of Worship and Government in the Churches The New Jerusalem i. e. The perfect exact Ezek 43.11 12 13. Reve. 21.10 11. Isa 30.26 and punctuall Modell oâ— the Government of Christ in the Churches shall then be let â—own from Heaven The light of the Moon being then to be as the light of the Suâ— and 〈◊〉 light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and 〈…〉 of their wound By what hath been spoken you may perceive under which of these dayes we are Past indeed the first but not yet arrived at the third day and therefore under the second day that â—â—angelicall â—ay yet so as if all the three dayes were mâ—t together in ours while it seems to me that we are upon the dawâ—ing of the third day and this Prophesie falling so pat and full upon our times as if we were not got beyond the Literall a little variance will do it The children of Israel and the children of Judah Scotland and England newly coming out of Babylon Antichristian Babylâ—n Papall Tyranny and Vsurpations in one degree or other Going and weeping in the dayes of their solemn Humiliations bewailing their Back-slidings and Rebellions to seek the Lord their God to seek pardon and reconciliation to seek his face and favour not onely in the continuance but in the more full and sweet influentiall manifestations of his presence among them and to that end asking the way to Sion with their faces thitherward that is Enquiring after the pure way of Gospel worship with full purpose of heart that when God shall reveal his minde to them they will conforme themselves to his minde as according to that blessed Prophesie and Promise Isal 2.3 He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths c. And that they may make all sure That they may secure God and themselves against all future
Let me come I le make them either bow or break I le make them either yeeld or I le have their blood Those his Enemies that will not have him raign over them bring them hither That I may slay them before his face Ah my Brethren we may fear That God is speaking against us in some such bitter language as this is and what think you may be the cause What the Quarrell Surely there is cause enough The Parliament tell us of a fearfull Catalogue of horrible provocations Contempt of Gods holy Ordinances and of holynesse it self Grosse and affected ignorance under the glorious light of the Gospel cleerly shining among us unfruïtfulnesse under the precious means of Grace ingratitude for mercies incorrigiblenesse under judgements multitudes of Oaths and blasphemiâ—s wicked prophanations of the Lords day by sports and gaming 's formerly encouraged even by Authority All sorts of uncleannesse Luxury and excesse in eating or drinking Vanity Prid and Prodigalitie in Apparrell Envy Contention and unnaturall Divisions Oppression Fraud and Violence from divers of which sins and many other not one Person throughout the whole Nation can say That he is wholly Free Besides that all must confesse That they have contributed toward the great stock of Nationall sins and so have increased the treasure of Wrath against these dayes of Wrath. But especially they tell us of two horrid crying sin Idolatry and Blood Idolatry which as it was the sin of our Ancestors so it is the spreading sin of these latter times while by a generall connivance and almost toleration it hath been severall wayes fomented and encouraged And for that other crying and cruell sin of bloodshed That calls alouà for veng ance it went hand in hand with the abhominable Idoll of the Masse in the dayes of Queen Mary and some of her Predecessors when many hundreds of the dear Martyrs and Saints of God lost their precious lives in flames and prisons These are the sins and provocations which our Parliament Worthies give us notice of which surely may amount to a very High quarrell But to all these without controversie England hath added this Quarrell in the Text to make up the measure of our iniquities even Covenant-Violation Witnesse all these severall wayes and branches of this sin mentioned in the entrance Which of them doth not this Land stand guilty of this day before the Lord All sorts of Covenant violation found among us Wilfull rejection For 1. Are there not found among us multitudes of such prophane Ephramitish and Zebulonitish spirits that do reproachfully and contemptuously refuse and reject the Covenant of God that deals with the Parliament Injunctions and the Ministers of the Gospels invitations to this service as they did with King Hezekiâ—hs Messengers laugh thâ—m to scornâ— lade them with Calumnies and Reproaches What more Covenants yet Will they never have done Covenanting Will they send us to Hell quick with their Protestations and Oaths and Covenants These and the like voices of murmure and rebellion God hath heard in our Tents and his anger is kindled Oh what shiftings and shufflings what base unworthy tergiversations hath God found among us to elude and envade this solemn service Indeed he said he would bring his People into the Bond of the Covenant but if he would have the most part of the People among us enter into Covenant with him he must drive them into the Bond of the Covenant Are not these of the kindred of the Scribes and Lawyers of whom it is said when they were invited unto Baptism Luk. 7.30 which was the Seal of the Covenant they rejected the Counsell of God against themselves being not Baptized c. And may not the Ministers of the Gospel answer this Generation in some such Language as the Apostles did the unbelieving Jews who spake against the things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming Acts 13.45 even as these men do Vers 26. It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you but since you put it from you and judged your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles so we to these men It was our Commission and Compassion to speak to you and perswade you to enter into this solemn League and Covenant with God and his People but since you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of so great a priviledge loe we turn to other People and other Churches we will trouble you no more God will have a People that shall accept of this Grace of his and think themselves highly honoured to by the most high God 2. Of them that do take it how few be there that take it in a due manner according to the Laws and Rules of so holy and solemn an Ordinance For 1. Rash and unadvised entring into Covenant Eccle. 5.1 How many be there that take it Rashly Hand over Head as we say not considering what they do The sin of former times in England hath been That our Fathers knew not this service they regarded it not it was hid from them they enquired not after it and these times of ignorance God winked at or God lightly regarded them But it is the sin of these latter times that we slight this Ordinance That we know not or regard not to know the Laws of this Ordinance the goings in thereof and the comings out thereof That we come to such an extraordinary duty with ordinary hardly so much as ordinary Consideration and Preparation Indeed such care and Caution hath not been used for the informing and preparing of People for so solemn a service as was meet whereby it hath been exposed to unspeakable prophanation and the most of People have but offered the sacrifice of fools while they have made their addresse thereunto The Lord convince and humble those whom it doth more especially concern to have prevented this sin by their providence and diligence for concerning this service we have just cause to acknowledge with holy David 1 Chron. 15.13 For because ye did it not at first The Lord our God made a breach upon us yea many breaches in the West and in the North c. For that we sought him not herein after the due order We keep our Fasts for the most part as if nothing were required but to hang down our head for a day and we take Covenants as if all that is to be done were but to hold up the hand for a day 2. Again How many have taken it Vnsoundnesse of heart Rottenly and Hypocritically their hearts not being * Psa 78.37 Vers 3. upright with God in this matter while some have come with their Idols in their hearts with their base Lusts in their bosomes Some have taken it if not with a purpose to break it yet with no purpose to keep it They did but flatter him with their mouth and lye to him with their tongues And others have taken it with their own
that the work shall go on and prosper yea prosper gloriously it having a stronger foundation to support it then Heaven and Earth for they are upheld but by a word of power but this work which is called Hob. 3 1. the New-Heavens and the New-Earth is uphold by a word of promise For We according to his promise look for New-Heavens 2 Pet. 3.15 and a New-Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse I say by a word of prophesie and promise which it seems is stronger then God himself for his word binds him so that he can as soon deny himself as deny his promise There shall be therefore an undoubted accomplishment of these things which are told us from the Lord Luk. 1.45 God will finde or make a people who shall worship him in this holy Ordinance and upon whom he will make good all the mercy and trueth all the peace and salvation which is bound up in it Onely therefore let me Caution and beseech you not to be wanting to your selves and your own happinesse * Acts 13. Judge not your selves unworthy of such a priviledge nor * Luke 7 3â— reject the Counsell of God against your own souls sin not against your own mercies by withdrawing your selves from this service or rebelling against it God will exclude none that do not exclude themselves Yea further This seems to speak an Argument of Hope That the calling of the Jews and the fulnesse of the Gentiles is not farre behinde in as much as God begins now to poure out this promise in the Text upon the Churches in a more eminent manner then ever we or our fathers saw it in a Gospel sence And surely Gospel performance must make way for that full and universall accomplishment thereof which shall unite Israel and Judah Jew and Gentile in one perpetuall Covenant unto the Lord that shall never be forgotten The Gospel Day is nothing else but the dawning of that great universall Day in the Text wherein God will make one glorious Church of Jew and Gentile The Day-starre whereof is now risen in our Horizon So that I am humbly confident That the same shores shall not bound this Covenant which bound the two now-Covenanting Nations but as it is said of the Gospel so it will be verified of this Gospel Covenant The sound thereof will go into all the Earth Rom. 10.18 and the words of it to the ends of the world There is a spirit of Prophesie that doth animate this Covenant Psal 14.15 which will make it swift and active swift to run His word runs very swiftly and active to work deliverance and safety not onely to these two Kingdoms but to all other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyranny whom God shall perswade to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant So that me thinks all that travell with the Psalmists desire of seeing the good of Gods chosen Psal 106.5 and rejoycing in the gladnesse of his nation and glorying with his Inheritance Will certainly rejoyce in this day and in the goodnesse of GOD which hath crowned it with the accomplishment of such a pretious promise as hear lies before us While none can withdraw from muchlesse oppose this service but such as bear evill will to Sion and would be unwilling to see the ruine and downfall of Antichrist which this blessed Covenant doth so evidently threaten Fourthly Fourth Motivâ— The example of the Churches of God and This hath been the practice of all the Churches of God before and since Christ after their Apostacies and Captivities for those Apostacies and recoveries out of these Captivities The first thing they did was to cement themselves to God by a more close entire and solemn Covenant then ever Nehemiah Ezra Hezckiah Jeremiah Josiah will all bring in clâ—er evidences to witnesse this practice This latter Churches have learned of them Germany France Scotland c. But what shall I need to mention the Churches when as the God of the Churches took this course himself who when he pleases to become the God of any people or person it is by Covenant as with Abraham Gen 17.2 Behold I make a Covenant with thee and what ever mercies he bestows upon them it is by Covenant all the blessings of Gods people are Covenant-blessings to wicked men God gives with his left hand out of the Basket of common providence but to his Saints he dispenceth with his right hand out of the Ark of the Covenant Isa 55.3 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Yea which is yet more to our purpose When the first Covenant proved not but miscarried not by any fault that was in the Covenant-Maker no nor simply in the Covenant it self Of the God of the Churches for if man could have kept it it would have given him life I say when it was broken God makes a new Covenant with his People Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers which my Covenant they brake c. Jer. 31.31 Heb. 8 8. But this shall be the Covenant c. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People c. Because they could not keep the first Covenant God made a second that should keep them Oh that while we are making a Covenant with our God he would please to make such a Covenant with us so would it be indeed a perpetuall Covenant that should not be forgotten Well you see we have a Covenanting God a Covenant Making God and a Covenant renewing God be we followers of God as dear children Let us be a Covenanting people a Covenant making a Covenant renewing people and as our God finding sault with the first Heb. 8.8 Let us make a new Covenant â—â—â—n a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten A fifth Motive to quicken us to this duty Fâ—th Moâ—â— The practiâ—â—â—f the Pope and Preletes may be even the practice of the Antichristian State and Kingdom Popery hath been dexterous to propagate and spread it self by this means What else have been all their Fraternities and Brother-hoods and Societies but so many Associations and combinations politique compacted and obliged by Oaths and Covenants for the advancing of the Catholike Cause whereby Nations and Kingdoms have been subdued to the obedience of the Roman Miter And Prelacy that Whâ—lp hath learned this polisieof its mother Papacy that Lionesse to corroborate and raise it self to that height we have seen and suffered by these Artifices while by close Combinations among themselves and swearing to their oâ—edience all the Inferiour Priesthood and Church Officers by Ordination-Engagements and Oaths of Canonicall Obedience c. A few have been able to impose their own Laws and Canons upon an whole Kingdom yea upon three Kingdoms it being an inconsiderable company either