Apostacies and black-flidings calling one upon another and ecchoing back one to another Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that may not be forgotten You see by this time I have changed my Text though not my project to which purpose I shall remember that in the handling of these words I must not manage my discourse as if I were to make a new entire Sermon upon the Text but onely to improve the happy advantages it holds forth for the pursuite and driving on of my present Vse of Exhortation Come let us joyn c. To this end therefore from these words I will propound and endeavour to satisfie these three Quaeres 1. What 2. Why 3. How 1. What the duty is to which they mutually stirre up one another 2. Why or upon what considerations 3. How or in what manner this service is to be performed And in all these you shall see what proportion the Text holds with the Times The duty in our Text with the duty in our Hands pressing them on still in an Exhortatory way For the first sc What the duty is Answ You see that in the Text is to joyn themselves to the Lord by a solemn Covenant and so is that which we have now in our hands to joyn our selves to the Lord by a Covenant how farre they correspond will appear in the sequell This is the first and main End of a Covenant between God and his People as I have shewed you To joyn themselves to the Lord. The sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord Isa 56.6 c. And take held of his Covenant This I say is the first and main end of the Covenant in the Text The second is subordinate unto it namely to Enquire thâ— way to Sion i. e. To inquire the way and manner how God would be worshipt that they might dishâ—nour and prevoke him no more by their Idolatries and Superstitions which had been brought in upon the Ordinances of God by the means of Apostate Kings and Priests and Prophets as in Jeroboams and Ahabs reigns c. And for which they had been carryed into Captivity And such is the Covenant that lies before us in the first place as I say to joyn our selves to the Lord to be knit unsepaparably unto him that he may be our God and we may be his People And in the next place as subservient hereunto to ask the way to Sion to enquire and search by all holy means sanctified to that purpose what is that pure way of Gospel worship That we and ouâ— children after us may worship the God of spirits the â—â—od of truth in spirit and in truth in spirit Joh 4. â—3 opposed to carâ—all wâ—yâ—s of will-will-worship and inventions of men and in truth opposed to false hypocriticall shews and pretences since the Father seeks for such to worship him Now That this is the main scope and aym of this Covenant before us will appear if you read and ponder it with due considerations I will therefore read it to you distinctly this Evening besides the reading of it again to morrow when you come to take it and when I have read it I will answer the main and most materiall objections which seem to make it inconsistâ—nt with these blessed ends and purposes Attend diligently while I read it to you The Covenant WE Noblemen â—his Co 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 haâ—d to câ—m 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 several pafaâ—â—s of the Câ—â—â—nant to which 〈…〉 Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable state of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publike Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies 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 And shall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the Extirpation of Poperty Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse least we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reallity and constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witnesse with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just power and greatnesse IV. We shall
I Conceive these three Sermons may be of much use for the promoting of the publike service in taking the late solemn Covenant both here and throughout the Kingdoms Decemb. 5. 1643. JOSEPH CARYL THE QUARRELL OF THE COVENANT WITH THE PACIFICATION OF THE QUARRELL Delivered in three SERMONS on Levit. 26.25 and Jere. 50.5 By Thomas Case Preacher of the Word in Milk-street LONDON And one of the Assembly of DIVINES 2 Chron. 23.16 And Iehojada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King That they should be the Lords people Nehem. 10.28 And the rest of the people the Priests the Levites the Porters the Singers the Nethinims and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the Lands unto the Law of God their Wives their Sonnes and their Daughters every one having knowledge and having understanding They clave to their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord our Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes c. London Printed for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1644. To the Right Honourable John Lord Maitland and to the Reverend Master Alexander Henderson Master Samuel Rutherford Master Robert Baly and Master George Gellispe Commissioners of the generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the Assembly of Divines in England Noble and worthy Commissioners THis Covenant so unanimously so religiously entred into by the Honourable Houses of Parliament and Reverend Assembly Gods two faithfull Witnesses now in England as by your selves also was afterward sent to the City where amongst the rest of the Ministers I was to take my share in preparing the people The Work being so solemn and great I bethought my self how I might best serve this blessed Design The time gave me some advantage it falling in the course of my Ministry to preach thrice between the Warning and the Taking I engaged my thoughts distractions will hardly allow me to say Studies wholly upon this Work and blessed be God not without much encouragement The readinesse I found in the People to close with the invitation of God and Parliament expressing it self not onely in the multitudes but in the affections of them that offered themselves to this Service made visible in tears of joy Yet when I had Preacht my Sermons and admâ—â—â—â—â—red the Covenant I found I had not done my work Importunity prest me to make my thoughts publike and consulting with the neâ—â—sâ—itice of the multitudes of poor ignorant People that want a Teaching Minister while the Kingdom waits for the Covenant rather then with mine own unfitnesse I was not disobedient to the Motion I had rather appear in my weaknesse then â—nwillingnesse to serve the publike good Thousands of the poor untaught people will be glad of this help the knowing will not despise it if 〈◊〉 if otherwise they shall trouble themselves more then me And now Right â—â—noralde and Reverend These poor endeavours such as they are make hold to present themselves unto you Streams do naturally run back into the Bosom from whence they issued God hath pleased to â—onour your Nation in making them the First-fruits and Pattern of a Through 〈…〉 to Vs and all the rest of the 〈…〉 This Covenant received its first life in Scotland though it came to its first breathing in England You sent it not with more affection then it was entertained with gladnesse and joy by our Worthy Parliament and Learned Assembly and although with some small Additions yet such as did rather render it more it self then vary it I shall not need to beg your Patronage for my Self or Labours in promoting this Service The Oath of God is upon you whereby we are contented to confesse what in your patheticall Letter to our Assemblie you were pleased upon other respects to acknowledge That your Assistance is become your Debt To all that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuance thereof To the payment whereof Your selves are already come through a painfull and hazardous travell to joyn your Learned Assistance with our Faithfull Assembly to which your presence addes both strength and Ornament while Thousands of your Nation are preparing their Brotherly addresses to pay the same Debt to the whole Kingdom now almost in as great an exigence as once the Gibeonites were when their five Kings with all their united forces were within few dayes march to take a bloody and unnaturall revenge for their entring into Covenant with Joshua Onely We beseech you account it not our distrust or jealousie if sometime you hear us complaining with the Mother of Sisera Why are their Charrets so long in coming Why stay the Wheels of their Charrets We know the Mercy and Righteousnesse of Joshuah dwels in your Bosoms which cannot suffer you to deny or delay that Assistance to your Brethren whom you have invited into the League and Covenant of God upon so fair and honourable termes which Joshuah durst not deny unto the enemies of God and his people Because they had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel Josh 9.19 Although by a Serpentine wilienesse they had wound themselves into that Association Joshuahs Conscienciousnesse of that Obligation carried Him and his Army all night to the rescue of the Gileoniles Josh 10.9 And truely we doubt not but your â—endernesse of this Oath of God between England and Scotland had before this time brough in your prepared forces to the succour of your end â—ngered Brethren had not our Creature-considence unthankefulnesse and other hidden Remorâ—s hung at the Keel and Bottome of this Expedition The Searcher of Hearts and Father of Mercies discover and remove the accursed thing whatsoever it is That it may no longer obstruct their timely approach nor render it when it comes unanswerable to our fainting Expectations The Lord of Hosts bring in your Forces and come in with them his Terrour go before them and his Glory be their Rereward So shall they like a Mahanaim the Host of God be a dread to the Enemies a Reviving to the languishing hopes of Gods people and a powerfull means to assist our Parliament and Armies in the setling of that blessed Peace and Reformation for which both the Nations have Lifted up their Hands to the most High God Sirs In the midst of all these Calls and Expectations pardon and own me if I humbly claim my share for my Self and poor Endeavours both which he cordially devotes to yours and the Kingdoms service who is Yours In all Gospel Offices to honour and serve you THOMAS CASE To the Reader READER THe fears of unworthy Accommodations which have possest 〈…〉 Spirits God hath hitherto graciously prevented by the Wisedom and Piety of our worthy Senators in Parliament who yet have lest no stone unturned for the
of Ministers or People the Lord be mercifull to us in this thing that have had eyes to discover the Mystery of iniquity which these men have driven and much more inconsiderable that have had hearts to oppose and withstand their Tyranny and Usurpations And why may not God make use of the same stratagem to ruine their Kingdom which they used to build it yea God hath seemed to do it already wâ—â—le in that place where they cast that râ—â—ring Canon and formed their cursed Oath for the establishing their 〈…〉 with its endlesse c. to perpetuits In the * â—â—ing Henry 7 Chappel very 〈◊〉 place hath this Covenant been debated and voted once and a second time by command of publique Authoritie for the Extirpation of it Root and Branch and the casting of it out for ever as a plant which our heavenly Father hath not planted And who knows but this may be the Arrow of the Lords deliverance which as it hath peire't to the very heart of Prelacy so it may also give a mortall wound to Papacy it self of which it will never be healed by the whole Colledge of Physitians the Jesuites whose study the Complexion and health of that Babylonian Harlot In the sixth and last place Sixth Motive The blessed successe of this Ordinance in other Churches The good successe this course hath found in the Churches may encourage us with much cheerfulnesse and confidence to undertake this service It hath upon it a probatum est from all that ever conscientiously and religiously used this remedy It recovered the State and Church of the Jews again and again many a time when it was ready to give up the ghost it recovered and kept a good correspondency between God and them all the time it was of any esteem and credit amongst them It brings Letters of Testimoniall with it from all the Reformed Churches Especially from our neighbour Nation and Church of Scotland where it hath done wonders in recovering that people when all the Physitians in Christendom had given them over It is very remarkable in the 20. Ezek. 37. God promiseth to bring them into the Bond of the Covenant and in the next Verse it follows and I will purge out the Rebels from among you there is an And that couples this Duty and this Mercy together I will bring you into the bond c. And I will purge out c. Truly God hath made good this promise to our Neighbors The Waters of this Covenant have been a notable Purgation to the Rebels there It hath been a Shibboleth to discover them and a Sword in the hand of the Angel of the Covenant to chase or slay them The mighty Armies of Malignants whether inbread or forraign though more in number and greater in power have not been able to stand before it from the first day till now The Walls of Jericho have faln flat before it The Dagon of the Bishops Service-Book brake its neck before this Arke of the Covenant Prâ—lacy and Prerogative have bowed down and given up the ghost at its feet And what changes hath it wrought in the Church and State What a Reformation hath followed at the heels of this glorious Ordinance And truely even among us as poorly and lamely and brokenly as it hath been managed among us I may say thus of it It hath kept life and soul together I am confident we had given up the ghost before this time had it not been for this Water of Life Oh what glorious successe might we expect if we did make such cheerfull such holy such conscientious addresses as becomes the Law of so solemn an Ordinance Truely could I see such a willing people in this day of Gods Power as are here in the Text encouraging and engaging one another in an holy Conspiracy Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant c. I have faith enough to promise and prophesie to you in the Name of the Lord and in the words of his servant Haggai Haggâ—i 2.18 19. From this very day I will blesse you And that you may know of what Soveraignty this Ordinance is Take notice of this for the close of this last Motive and this second Quaere That this is the last Physick that ever the Church shall take or need it lies cleer in the Text For it is an everlasting Covenant And therefore the last that ever shall be made after the full and finall accomplishment of this promise and duty the Church shall be of so excellent a complexion Isai 33. last That the Inhabitant shall not say I am sick The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their inquitie The Lord make it such Physick to us for Christ his sake And this shall suffice c. The Third Sermon on the Sabbath-day in the Morning being the first of October Immediately before takingof the COVENANT in Milk-street Church I Come now to the third Quaere How Third Quaere How And this inquiry divides it self into two Branches sc How to Acceptation Perpetuitie For the satisfying of both which I will fetcht as much as may be out of the Text That so you may yet further behold what proportion there is between the duty there and that which lies before us this day Answ In the first place First in generall With an Ordinance frame of heart we must enquire how this duty may be so managed that God may accept of us in the doing of it How to Acceptation Now in the Generall we must know that this service being an Ordinance of God it must be undertaken and managed with an Ordinance of frame heart i. e. According to the Laws and Rule of â—ivine worship and by how much the more sacred and solemn this Ordinance is by so much the more ought we to call up and provoke the choicest and heavenliest of those affections and dispositions of spirit wherewith we make our addressements to the Holy things of God In speciall In particular these First â—â—â—st in Judgement Jere 4.2 we are to come upon this service with the most ponderous advisednesse and most serious deliberation of Judgement That may be It is one of those grand Qualifications which God himself calls for to an Oathâ— Thou shalt swear in Truth in Judgement and in Righteousnesse In Truth for the matter and that we have already examined in the former Sermon In Righteousnesse in reference to the keeping of the Oath of which hereafter and in Judgement in respect of the taking or making of the Oath the thing which we are now about that we should well consider what we do And indeed if at any time and in any undertaking that advise be usefull Prov 4.26 Eccl 5.1 Ponder the path of thy feet and keep thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God then certainly it is most seasonable when a people or a person draw neer to make or renew their Covenant with the most High