keep his word then we have that he should But for our sakes for our sakes altogether is this written because of the unbelief of our bearts to secure our unbeleeving objecting spirits against all fear and jealousie of so much as a pâ—ssibility of going bâ—â—k from his word or failing of his promise and so indeed it is after expressed Vers 18. That by two immutable things by which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong Consolation c. To strengthen our weak hands and feeble knees and drooping spirits in the expectations and belief of the undoubted accomplishment of all his promises Now then Beloved Christians this being the end of Covenants and Oaths mutually between God and his People sc To Vnite and Secure the one to the other when a People or Person haffle or break with God after all this the end of the Covenant is frustrated and defrauded The bands are broken the security dissolved all falls in sunder as a bundle of Arrows when the bond is cut and then in comes fears doubts and jealousies which oft do no small mischief in the soul while they even take a poor People or Person Captive and spoil them of their precious treasure that they can hardly recover their former comforts or confidence again in a long time These breaches do so wound their spirits and shrink up their sinews I speak of the People of God themselves that with their Father Jacob they go halting peradventure to their very Graves And now look upon the Covenant under all these Aspects and Notions Of Nature Of Matter Of Forme Of Parties Of End And then you will easily be able to give an account Why Covenant-Violation should be a matter of so high a quarrell between God and a People in all the three kindes of it Contemptuous refusing Gracelesse prophaning Perfidious deceiving Not onely of the Covenant of God but of the God of the Covenant A People of Person mocking God and deluding themselves breaking with God and doing what they can to make God break with them and to break them all to peeces Now for the second Branch of the Doctrine The 2. Brand of the Doctrine This Quarrell God threatens to avâ—nge with the sword There be but two things which I need handle heer 1. De facto To shew How God hath made good this threatning in the dispensations of his providence and Justice by overtaking this sin of Covenant-Prophanation with this judgement of the sword and its concomitants 2. De jure To vindicate and assert Gods Justice in these dispensations of his by shewing the equity and righteousnesse of such proceedings But both these are done if not so fully as might be yet sufficiently already The Instances given of the sin in the very same places for the most part holding forth also examples of the Judgment besides so many other Instances in Scripture so known That who ever is not a stranger to his Bible may turn to them with a wet finger And the Demonstrations and Reasons that set forth unto you the greatnesse of the sin the highnesse of the quarrell do upon the very first view Vindicate and Justifie the Equity of Gods proceedings in avenging this sin and quarrell with so grievous a judgement as the sword And since the servants of God who have well weighed both in the ballance of the Sanctuary have acknowledged not onely the sin to have equalled the Judgement Thou art just O Lord in all that is come upon us Nehe. 9. Ezâ—a 9. But infinitely to have weighed it down our God hath punisht us lesse then our iniquities deserve This therefore shall suffice for the second Branch of this Doctrine and so we will improve the time that might be spent in the further proof and enlargement thereof in making Use of what hath been delivered already in that Doctrine Vse THe first Use that we may make of this sad truth may be according to the work of this day to discover to us what cause we have to afflict our souls and to abhorre our selves in dust and ashes before the Lord. For behold God is contending with this Kingdom by fire the fire of the sword so called often in the Scripture is sent upon us and marcheth through the breadth of the Land in the widest extent of the Kingdom even from the furthermost parts of the West to the uttermost parts of the North A Sword I say the worst of all Judgements witnesse the sad Catalogue of evills here that do accompany it ut supra yea a Civill Sword the worst of all Swords a Forraign Sword hits at randome But this knows whom to smite and where to make the deepest wounds Brother embrues his hands in the Brothers blood and a mans enemies are these of his own house and therefore the more enemies because of his own house No Quarrell so fierce no fewd so mortall as those are between the neerest relations when Coals of division are once kindled amongst them This Sword I say is drawn and much flesh it hath devoured already and drunk much precious blood Nationall blood Christian blood Fraternall blood while we cry to it as once Jeremiah did Jerem. 47.6 O thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet Put up thy self into thy Scabbord rest and be still But the Sword either gives us no Answer or such a one as follows there in the next verse How can I be quiet Seeing the Lord hath given me a charge against England Yea we may fear that God is saying concerning us as once to his Prophet Ezekiel concerning Israel Ezek. 21.9 10. A Sword a Sword is sharpned it is sharpned and also furbish'd T is sharpned to make a sore slaughter should we then make mirth No When God sends a Sword upon a People the times are times of mourning and not of merriment Read on else Vers 10. It contemneth the rod of my son as every tree Vers 11. And he hath given it to be furbished that it may be handled This Sword is sharpned and t is furbished to give it into the hand of the slayer Vers 12. Cry and howl son of man for it shall be upon my People it shall be upon all the Princes of Israel terrours by reason of the Sword shall be upon my People Smite therefore upon thy thigh Vers 13. Because it is a tryall and what if the Sword contemn the Rod The rod of God has been upon us the rod of a more inferior and gentle correction but it has done us no good Folly is so bound up in our hearts that it is not a rod of correction that will fetch it out We will not yet stoop nor submit unto the Government of Jesus Christ therefore we may fear that now the sword comes to contemn the rod to despise the rod saying as it were What does this silly Rod do here Will they not stoop Will they not put their neâ—ks under the yoak of Christ
be an innocent and warrantable Spell to render the Witchery of the Flesh World and Divel fruitlesse and in effectuall upon our spirits while the soul may say with David Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee Ps 56.12 But fifthly Consider often and seriously Fifth means Prayer 1 Pet 1.5 who it is that must uphold your Resolutions even he that upholds Heaven and Earth no lesse power will do it For you are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation It is God that first gives the resolution and then must uphold and bring it into act It is God that worketh in you Phi. 2.13 both to will and to do of his good pleasure and therefore labour I beseech you to do these two things First Put all your resolutions into the hands of prayer 1 1. Praâ— David was a man of an excellent spirit full of holy Resolves I will walk in mine integrity Psal 26.11 Psal 119.8 â—sal â—4 Psal 139.21 22. And I will keep thy Testimonies And again I have sworn and will performe it That I will keep thy righteous judgements And yet again Do I not hate them Lord that hate thee c. I hate them with a perfect hâ—treâ— c. A thousand such sweet resolutions doth that precious servâ—nt of God breath out all along the Psalms and yet so jealous 〈…〉 man is of himself That he never trusts himself with 〈…〉 resolutions and therefore shall you finde him alwayes clâ—ppâ—ng a Petition upon a resolution as in the quoted places I will walk in mine integrity Redeem me and be mercifull unto me I will keep thy Testimoniâ—s Oh forsake me not utterly q. d. Thou 〈…〉 me fall fearfully suffer me not to fall finally And so when he had said I have sworn and will not repent c. Ver. 107. He presently adds within a word or two Quicken me O Lord 〈…〉 to thy word And again Accept I beseech thee of the 〈…〉 rings of my mouth Ver. 108. O Lord and teach me thy judgements God must teach him as to makâ— so to make good the 〈◊〉 will offerings of his mouth i. e. His promises and â—owâ— And so when he had made that appeal to God Do I not hate them that hate thâ—e Lord c. Vt sup He presently betakes himself to his Prayers Search me O God and know my heart try mâ— Psal 129 23 24 and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in 〈◊〉 and lead me in the way everlasting Mark I pray Search me try me know my heart know my thoughts see whether thâ—re be any wicked way lead mâ— c. He will neither trust himself for what heâ—ts nor for what he shall be Try me he dares not trust his own tryall Lead me he dares not trust his own Resolutions Sâ—ch a sweet holy jealousie of himself 〈◊〉 he creath forth with all his heavenly purposes and resâ—lations Oh 〈…〉 you that would make an Everlasting Covenant with 〈…〉 holy David upon every holy Resolution clap an 〈…〉 say I will reform my life Oh redeem me and 〈…〉 I will set up Christ in my heart I will labour 〈…〉 him in my life Oh forsake mâ— not utterly Lord 〈…〉 and am utterly purposed in all 〈…〉 to amend my life and to go before 〈…〉 c. O Lord teach me 〈…〉 O Lord according to thy Word 〈…〉 are upon me That I will according to my place and 〈…〉 to preserve Reformation in Scotland to procure 〈…〉 England That I will in like manner endeavour 〈…〉 Popery and Prelacy c. To preserve the Rights 〈…〉 Parliaments c. Discover Incendiaries En 〈…〉 between the two Kingdoms 〈…〉 that enter into this League and Covenant That I will never make defection to the contrary part or to give my self to a detestable indifferency or neutrality c. And this Covenant I have made in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as I shall answer at that great day c. But now adde with David Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any way of wickednesse in me and lead me in the way everlasting In a word put your Covenant into frequently renewed Resolutions Resolutions into Prayer and Prayer and all into the hands of God It is God that must gird thee with strength to perform all thy vows This the close of this blessed Covenant into which we enter this day doth teach us Humblie beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings c. And the Covenant in the Text was surely inlaid with Prayer while they engage themselves to seek the Lord sc Not onely to shew them the way to Sion but to give them strength to walk in that way Let it be your wisedome and piety my Brethren to imitate both Oh pray and be much in Prayer and be often in prayer pray daily over the Covenant as you this day lift up your hands to swear to the most high God in this Covenant so lift up your hands every day to pray to that God for grace to keep this Covenant Let sence of self-insufficiency keep open the sluce of Prayer That that may let fresh streams of strength every day into your souls to make good your vows when you be carelesse to pray over the Covenant you will be carelesse to keep the Covenant when you cease to pray you will cease to pay If you will be watchfull in praying over your vows Prayer will make you watchfull in paying your vows If you will be faithfull in crying to God God will be faithfull in hearing and hâ—lping Psal 50.15 Pray therefore pray over every good purpose and resolution of heart towards the Covenant of God which conscience shall suggest or the Spirit of God shall breath into your bosoms at this present or any time hereafter as David once prayed over that good fram of Spirit which he observed in his people what time they off red so willingly and liberally to the preparing for the House of God 2 Chr 29 â—â— Oh God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob 〈◊〉 Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart and prepare my heart unto thee To every command God is pleased to adde a promise so that what is a command in one place is a promise in another Ex. gr Circumâ—â—◠〈…〉 sores hinâ— your heart Deut. 10 1◠〈…〉 it is a command in Deut. 1â— 16 But in the 30. Chapter vers 6. There it is a promise 〈…〉 God will 〈…〉 thine heart and the heart of thy 〈…〉 Lord. Again makâ— you a new heart so saith the word of command A 〈…〉 will I give you so speaks the Word of Promise Ch. 36.26 Once more Little children abide in him thâ—â— is the command 1 Joh.
procuring of such a Peace as might render both King and Parliament Church and State truely happy and glorious which is the Cordinall desire wherewith every good Christian and Loyall Subject doth travell that wisheth and studies the recovery and preservation of these three Kingdoms what further security this Sacred Covenant may adde believe and waite There is another Accommodation which may do as much mischief and is the more dangerous by how much more it is secret which it concerns thee with all care and diligence to prevent and that is an Accommodation with base sinfull Lusts which fight against thy soul and the Kingdoms safety How low they have brought the Kingdom is too apparent to every eye what they have done to thy soul is best known to God and thine own Conscience God calls not onely upon Parliament and Assembly but upon Familes and Persons for a Through-Reformation If thou compound thou destroyest thy self and three Kingdoms One sinner destroyes much good Eccle. 9.18 This Covenant conscienciously made and kept will prevent this evill For thy encouragement and direction wherein these three Sermons are prest The first discovering the great Quarrell of Covenant-violation either in refusing prophaning or breaking thereof The second answering according to my Model such Objections against the taking of this Covenant as I met withall and laying down some encouragements and engagements to the taking of it The third holding forth such directions as may serve for thy help so to make and so minde thy Covenant as thou mayest do it both to Acceptation and Perpetuity If God please to adde his blessing neither I in publishing nor thou in reading shall have cause to be ashamed of our pains If God be dallied withall in this Covenant I tremble to think what will become of us It is the strongest Physick that ever the Kingdom took and I am almost confident That as in the publike State it will either put a period to our distempers or to our Being so in thy personall condition It will either blast thy Lusts or slay thy Soul My Reason is Because God is engaged If we be found conscientious of this Covenant he is engaged to us against our enemies without and our Lusts within and they shall not be able to stand upon us If after so solemn an Obligation we shall be found to mock God we have engaged him against us and adde the Almighty to the number of our enemies a swift and a powerfull Witnesse and Avenger of our perfidiousnesse Nor will Refusall of this Covenant help us when God shall come to interpret It will be found I fear in most but a depart from us And when God shall answer the daring sinner in his own language woe to the poer wretch that ever he was born I have therefore three humble Requests to make First To our truely Honourable and worthily Honoured Senators That in the Wisedom and Zeal of good King Hezekiah 2 Chro. 30.1 in a concernment of the like nature They would be pleased with their Commands for the taking of the Covenant To send forth also such timely Laws and Directions into the Kingdom as may prepare the people and fence this holy Ordinance from that contempt and prophanation which will otherwise be unavoideably cast upon it The second is to my Brethren in the Ministry That to the same end they with the good Priests and Levites in Hezekiahs time would be active and diligent to put in execution those Directions and Ordinances and to do what else may be found in their severall places advantagious to the sanctifying of their people for so holy a service lest if they sin through their neglect they translate the peoples guilt upon their own heads Yea I could wish That all the faithfull Ministers of Christ through the Kingdom as they are the Lords Remembrancers to the people and the peoples Remembrancers to God would frequently in their Sermons minde people of the Vow of God that lies upon their souls and in their prayers make frequent mentions of it to God with holy Davids holy jealousie and compassion over his people in the day of their willing and liberall contributions to the House of God O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people Orâ—stabâ—â—th and prepare their heart unto thee 1 Chro. 29.18 That so the memory of so solemn and sacred an engagement may not die off from the heart of the Kingdom for ever Lâ—stly To every soul that shall enter into this holy League and Covenant my request is That they would look about them Life and death is before them if we break with God now we have just cause to fear God will stand to Covenant no more with us but will aveâ—ge the Quarrell with our utter destruction if we be sincere and faâ—â—â—full tâ—â—s Covenant will be a foundation of much Peace Joy Glory and Security to us and our seed to the coming of Christ which that it may be shall be the earnest Prayer of him who is Thy servant for Jesus sake Tho. Case The first Sermon Preached at Laurence Church on the Fast-day Septem 27. 1643. Leviticus 26.25 And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant THis Chapter contains a gradation of sins and a gradation of punishments higher degrees of plagues threatning to overtake higher degrees of Sin And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me then will I punish you seven times more for your sins four times repeated over in this Chapter The words read they are the top or rather the sum of both 〈◊〉 violation the top or sum of all the evils of sin mentioned in this Chapter and the sword with it's concomitants the top or sum of all the evils of punishment threatned And so you have the division of the words before I thought of it scil The peoples sins Gods judgements Their sin the abuse and violation of Covenant Gods Judgement the Sword c. In the one they walk contrary to God in the other God walks contrary to them From whence observe Doct. Covenant violation is matter of a high Quarrell between God and a people which God threatens to avenge with the sword You see there are two Branches in this Doctrine I. Covenant abuse is matter of an high Quarrell between God and a people II. God threatens to avenge this Quarrell with the Sword 1. For the first That Covenant-violation is matter of high Quarrell between God and a people Quarrell you finde in the Text and high you finde it in the sâ—ituation of the Text This standing as I shewed you at a top of the gradation of the sins here specified or being the summa totalis of them all Abuse of Covenant It is this first Branch I shall chiefly pursue The second I shall but touch upon as time and occasion will serve In the managing therefore
a monstrous nature namely perjury which is a blasphemy against the Truth of God and against the God of Truth while His Sacred Name is sworne by and himself cald in to witnesse to a Lye and so that sin or sins which in reference to the Law of God is disobedience in reference to love of God inviting pardoning healing is rebellion in reference to our promise is treachery is now at last in reference to the Oath aggravated into perjury and blasphemy This is much but this is not all Reason 4 Consider the Parties entring this Oath and you will finde a fourth and yet a strong ground and reason The parties swearing why Covenant-violation is so high a quarrell The parties striking this Covenant which are God and his People and this doth exceedingly aggravate the sin since by how much the parties interested in the Covenant are more high and honourable by so much the more solemne and venerable is a Covenant esteemed So Covenants entred into between Kings and Kings and between Kingdoms Kingdoms are accounted more solemn and sacred then those that are past between private persons What is it then think ye when a Kingdom yea Kingdoms on one side and the great Almighty God on the other side swear mutually one to another And the more Sacred the Covenant the more prophane the Violation Oh for a People to swear not onely By God but to God and yet dally or prevaricate this must needs be a mockery of an high provocation If God so threaten the breach of Oaths wherein he was but witnesse how impatient will he be of those forseitures wherein he is both Witnesse and Partie A People or Person swearing By God to God Reas 5 And yet once more consider the End of a Covenant between God and a People 1 1. End of a Covenant and you will see more matter of provocation in the prophanation of it Now the end is twofold Primarie or Essentiall Secondarie or Consequentiall The Primarie or Essentiall End is to knita sure indissoluble knot Jer 50.5 between God and his people Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant c. Let us joyn A Covenant is the joyning Ordinance the Marriage knot as it were wherein God and a People are made one for as in Marriage 1 Cor 6.16 17. two saith he shall be one flesh so in a Covenant he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Those be high and glorious expressions which our Saviour useth in that heavenly Prayer John 17.21 22 23. That they may be all one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may know that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them That they may be one even as we are one I in thee and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one All one and one in us and one as we are one and made perfect in one These be expressions and priviledges of unspeakable worth and excellency and these are the fruits of a Covenant rightly struck between God and a People when both sides do it with all their heart and with all their soul as God himself renders it more then once or twice in Scripture I will be their God and they shall be my People Jere. â—4 7 c. 31 33. c. 30.22 c. 32.38 i. e. I will be to them what they can expect from a God and they shall be to me what I expect from a People All I am and have shall be for their good And all they are or have shall be for my glory and so the Spouse triumphs Cant. 2.15 chap. 6.3 I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine This is the first and main end of a Covenant 2 2. End And the second is like unto it which is to put an end to all strife Heb. 6.16 An Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife i. e. If here be any doubts or haesitations or diffidence on either side an Oath by the swearing party is or should be the removeall of that doubt or distrust whatsoever It should I say be so managed and entertained as that it should put the matter out of question to make all sure Whether it be in matters of fact de praeterito for the time past or engagements de futuro for the time to come so it is between God and man Man swears to God to secure God as it were that there shall â—e no more tergiversations or treacherous dealings as in times past Let us joyn in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten q. d. Other Covenants have been forgotten this shall never we will backslide no more break Covenant no more or rather a People or Person swear to God to secure themselves against themselves to prevent and shut the dore against all future sollicitations importunities and Temptations whatsoever That when any of their old Lovers should come and bespeck their affections they may be able to put them all by that there might be no possibility of yeelding or hearkning to the voyce of this Charmer charm he never so wisely while the soul may answer them all as sometime Jepthah did his daughter though with more warrant and lesse trouble of minde Judg. 11.35 I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back And with David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will performe it I will be as good as my word though I die for it That I will keep thy righteous judgements And again Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee I am not mine own to dispose of I have given my heart and my loves and my self unto another and I do not repent of what I have done if it were to do again I would do it and were I worth a thousand times more then I am he to whom I have sworn should have it all And so on the other side God swears to his People That â—s I may so say he may leave himself no possibility of recanting or recalling his word Heb. 6.13 Vers 16. if he had a minde to it The Apâ—stles expression hints such a kinde of supposition God when he could swear by no greater swore by himself Why That by two immutable things sc His Word and his Oath in which it was impossible for God to lye Impossible for him to lye A very strange expression As if God would lock up himself under an Oath from all possibility of lying or recalling the word out of his mouth he would not trust himselfe as if the Apostle should say with making a bare promise but claps an oath upon it also that so if be would yet he could not go back This seems to be implyed in this expression out the truth is though we need such bolts and locks to keep us from starting God doth not he hath as much and more mind to
in reference to your own persons beleevâ— that God will accept of them in this Ordinance whatever your successâ— shall be in regard of the Kingdom yet you shall find 〈…〉 in regard of your persons Isa 64.5 so the Church Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes When a people or person can say as the Church in another place Isa 26.8 In the way of thy Judgements have we waited for thee O Lord the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee God will not stay till they come unto him but he will 〈◊〉 them half way thou meâ—test him c. like the father of the Prodigall while they are yet half way he will see and run and mâ—et and fall upon their neck and while they weep at his feet tears of contrition he will weep over their necks the tears of compassion Oh stirre up your selves and engage your faith to beleeve and expect a gratious entertainment if God â—eâ— you coming in the integrity and uprightnesse of your hearts to enter into Covenant with God to take him as your God and to give up your selves to be his peoplâ— to take away all from sin and to give all to Jâ—sus Christ be will certainly take it well at your hands and say unto you Come my peoplâ— and welcome I 〈…〉 you shall in my people 4 4 In reference to Jesus Christ which that you may not misse of In the fourth place Come believingly in reference to Jesus Christ Be sure you bring a Christ with you Eph. 1.6 for he hath made 〈…〉 in the beloved Come without a Christ and go without acceptance The day of Attonement among the Jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was called dies Cippuâ—â—m the day of Expiation and the word Cippurim is derived from an Hebrew Root that signifies to Cover and so the day of Attonement was as much as to say The day of covering the covering of nakednesse as Revel 3.18 Revel 3.18 Psa 32.1 and the covering of sin as Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose transgrâ—ssion is forgiven and whose sin is covered In which very name of the day the ground or reason is held forth why it was called a day of Attonâ—mentâ— sc Because it was a day of conering wherein Christ was typified who is the covering of the Saints the lâ—ng white Robes of his Righteousnesse covering both their 〈◊〉 and performances so that the naâ—ednesse of neither doth appear in the eyes of his Father Num 23.21 He hath beheld no iniquity in 〈…〉 neither hath seen perversenesse in Israel Why Not because there was no iniquity in Jacob or perversenesse in Israel for there was hardly any thing else but because their iniquity and perversenâ—ssâ— was hid from his eyes being covered with the Mantle of his Sonnes Righteousnesse the Messiah which he had promiseâ— and they so much looked for Let us therefore in this service as in all Rom. 13.14 Put on the Lord Jesus That as Jacob in the Garments of his â—lder brother Esau so we in the Gâ—rments of our elder brother Jesus may finde acceptance and obtain the blessing And thus much be spoken concerning the first Branch of this third Quaere How to acceptation How to perpetuitie I come now to the second branch of it and that is Answ How to perpetuitie Or How may we perform this service Directions so that it may be an 〈…〉 Covenant that may never be forgotten To that end take these few brief Directions and I have done Gâ—â— soul affliction for former Covenantvâ—olations First Labour to come to this service with much soul-affliction for former violations of the Covenant either in refusing or pâ—â—phâ—â—ing or breaking thereof The foundations must be laid low where we would build for many Generations In what deep sorrows had you need to lay the foundations of this Covenant which you would have stand to eternity that it may be an everlasting Covenant c. This you have in the Text They shall seek the Lord going and weeping weeping in the sence of their former rebellions and â—pestacies whereby they forfeited their faith and brake their Covenant with the Lord their God and it was no ordinary flâ—â—ght businesse they made of it A voice was heard upon the high places 〈◊〉 3.22 weeping and supplication c. They were not a few silâ—nt tears no they lift up their â—oices and wept as it was said of Esau c. They cryed so lowd that they were heard a great way off A voice was heard upon the Mountains Zech 12.11 22. and it was as bitter as it was lowd A great mourning as the mourning of Hadedrimmon in the valley of Megidde when all Judah 2 Chron. 35 2â— â—â— Jerusalem Jeremiah the Prophet and all the 〈◊〉 bewailed the death of their good King Josiah with a grievous Lamentation and made it an Ordinance for ever c. Oh that as we have their service in hand so we had their hands and their hearts to manage it with Rivers of tears for our former vilenesse that we could weep this day together and afterward apart 〈◊〉 12. â—â— as it is prophesied Every family apart and our 〈…〉 yea and every foul apart that we have dealt so 〈◊〉 with so good a God so unfaithfully with so faithfull a God That we could put our Mouthâ—s in the dust and smite upon our â—â—â—gh and be ashamed and confounded for all the Wickednesse we have committed against God and his Covenant in any or all thâ—se wayes Such a Posture God will see us in before he will shew us the way to Sion before he will reveal to us the Modâ—ll and Plattorâ—â—â— of Reformation for so was his charge to Ezekiel If they be ashamâ—d of all that they have done 〈…〉 shew them the formes of the house and the fashion thereof and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and write it in their sight c. Surely This blessed Prophesie hath an eye upon our times for this is one of those dayes as I told you before wherein God will make good these gratious words unto his people and God hath called together his Ezekiels his Ministers to shew the House i. e. Vers 1. The forme and pattern of the Evangelicall House or Church unto the House of England and Scotland Shew the House to the House of Israel that they may be ashamed That is shew them the outside thereof shew them that there is such a House which they never yet beheld with their eyes that they may be humbled and ashamed of their former Idolatries c. And thus do our Exekiels tell us there is a way of Gospel Government of such beauty and excellency as our eyes never yet beheld nor the eyes of our
2.28 Which in the immediate Verse 〈…〉 is a 〈◊〉 prâ—miâ—â— You shall abide in him Divers more such Instances I could give you and why thus Surely the 〈…〉 teacheth us our Dutie the Promise our weaknesse and 〈…〉 to perform that luty The Command finds us work the 〈◊〉 findes us streâ—â—th The command is to keep us from 〈…〉 the promiâ—â— to keep us from being discouraged c. Wâ—ll 〈…〉 God and as he couples a command and a 〈…〉 so let us couple a Resolution and a Petition As 〈…〉 seconds and backs his command with his promise so let us second and back our promises with our Prayers the onâ— in sence of our duty the other in sence of our weaknesse by the one to bring our hearts up to God by the other to bring God down to our hearts Resolve and Petition Promise and Prâ—â—y 〈…〉 And the Lord prepare your heart to pray and cause his â—â—r to 〈◊〉 Secondly Since God onely must uphold your desires Wâ—â—â— continually as in his presence Sâ—â—ilitie is onely to be found in the prefence of God So faire we live an unchangeable life as we walk and live in the presence of an unchangeable God The â—aints 〈◊〉 Heaven know no vicissitudes or changes in their holy franâ—e and temper of spirit because they are perfected in the 〈◊〉 holding of his face With whom is no variablenesse nor 〈…〉 And so farre as the Saints on Earth can 〈…〉 in their presence so farre the presence of God will keep them Isa 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Lord alwayes before me and because he is â—t my right hand therefore I shall not be moved sung David of â—â—mself liberally and in the person of Christ typically The priâ—â—ledge was made good to both so far as either made good the Dutie David according to his degree and proportion of grace 〈◊〉 God before him placed him on his right hand and so long as he could keep Gods presence the presence of God kept him it kept him from sin I have kept my self from my iniquitie Ps 18 13 how so Why I was upright before him in the former part of the same Verse So long as he walkt before God in Gods presence so long he walkt upright and kept himself from his iniquitie or rather Gods presence kept him And as it kept him from sin so it kept him from fear also Psa 23.4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not fear Mark what he saith Though he walk not step and walk through not step crosse and through not a dark Entry or a Church-yard in the night time but a Valley a large long vast place How many miles long I know not And this not a Valley of darknesse onely but of death where he should see nothing but visions of death and not bare death but the shadow of death the shadow is the dark part of the thing so that the shadow of death is the darkâ—st side of death Death in its most hideous and horrid representations and yet behold when he comes out at the farther end and a man would have thought to have found him all in a cold sweat his hair standing upright his eyes set in his head and the man beside himself c. Behold I say he doth not so much as change colour his hand shakes not his heart fails not as he went in he comes out and though he should go back again the same way he tells you I will not fear How comes this to passe how comes the man to be so undaunted Why he will tell you in the very same Verse speaking to God For thou art with me Gods presence kept him from fear in the midst of death and horror Thus it was I say with David while he could keep God in his presence he was unmoveable impregnable You might as soon have stirred a Rock as stirred him I shall not be moved Indeed so long as he was upon the Rock he was as unmoveable as the Rock it self But alas sometime he lost the sight of his God and then he was like other men Thou didst hide thy face from me Psa 30 7. and I was troubled When God hid his face from him or he hid his eyes from God 1 Sam. 29 1. then how easiâ—ly is he moved Fear breaks in I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul Sin breaks in yea one sin upon the heels of another the adulterous act upon the adulterous look and murder upon adultery as you know in that sad businesse of Vriah the Hittit once off from his Rock and he is as weak as dust not able to stand before the least temptation of sin or fear Psa 61 2. and therefore as soon as he comes to himself again he cryes Oh lead me to the Rock that is higher then I To my Rock Lord to my Rock But now The Lord Jesus the Antitype of David here in this Psalm because he made good this Dutie shall I call it For in him dwelt the fulnesse of the Godhead Gâ—l 2.9 bodilie to him therefore was this priviledge made good perfectly in the highest degree for though he had temptations that never man had and was to do that which never man did and to suffer that which never man suffered the contradiction of sinners the rage of Hell and the wrath of God Yet Because he set the Lord alwayes at his right hand yea indeed was alwayes at the right hand of God therefore he was not moved but overcame even by suffering Beloved you see where stabilitie in Covenant is to be had even in the presence of God labour I beseech you to walk in his presence and to set him alwayes at your right hand Behold it shall keep you so that you shall not be moved or if you be moved you shall not be removed if you stumble you shall not fall or if you fall you shall not fall away you shall rise again There is a double advantage in it First It will keep your hearts in awe He that sets God in his presence dares not sin in his presence God sees will make the heart say How shall I do this great evill and sin against God Secondly Ps 16.12 There is Joy in it In thy presence is fulnesse of joy it is true in its proportion of grace as well as of glory and joy will strengthen and stablish as I shewed you before The joy of the Lord is your strength Psal 91. â— 10 As long as the childe is in its fathers eye and the father in its eye it is secure Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the mâ—st high thy habitation there shall no evill befall thee c. It will hold as well in the evils of sin as in the evils of punishment Well the Lord make you know these precious truths in an experimentall manner I have hâ—ld you too long but the businesse requires it Remember I beseech you
with none but such as will bear weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary such as the Word will secure such as to which the Word will bear witnesse that they are inconsistent with any Christlesse man or woman whatsoever And pray with unweariable suppliceations that God will not onely give thee interest but cleer thy interest and seal up interest upon thy soul and thee to the day of Redemption And then secondly 2 2 Go to Christ for influence Studie influence when once in Christ then hast thou right and liberty to draw vertue from Christ For behold All the fulnesse that dwels in Christ is thin all that life and strength and grace and redemption that is held forth in the promise it is all laid up in Christ as in a Magazine and by vertue of thy interest in and union with the Lord Jesus it is all become thinâ— Hence you hear the believing soul making her boast of Christ as before for righteousnesse Isa 45.24 so also for strength In the Lord I have righteousnesse and strength as righteousnesse for acceptance so strength also for performance of such duties as God in his Covenant doth require and expect at the beleevers hands I have no strength of mine own but in Christ I have enough In the Lord I have righteousnesse and strength Christ is the Lord-keeper or Lord high Steward or Lord-Treasurer to receive in and lay out * Psal 68.18 â—e received â—phe 48 begâ—e gifts c. for and to all that are in Covenant with the Father And this is one main Branch of Gods Covenant with the Redeemer that he give out to the Heirs of promise wherewithall to enable them to keep their Covenant with God so that they never depart from him As for me Isa 59.25 this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever They be the words of God the Father to the Redeemer concerning all his Spirituall Seed The Redeemer shall come to Sion Vers 24. And that spirit and these words of life and grace which were upon the Redeemer must be propagated to all his believing Seed by vertue whereof their Covenant with God shall in its proportion be like Gods Covenant with them for indeed the one is but the counterpart of the other unchangeable everlasting I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32 40 that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart away from me Now therefore my Brethren since there is enough in Christ study how to draw it out Indeed it will require a great deal of holy skill to do it It requires wisedom to draw out the excellencies of a man Counsell in the heart of a man is deep Prov. 20.3 but a man of understanding will draw it out It is a fine art to be able to peirce a man that is like a Vessell full of Wine and set him a running but to draw out influence and vertue from the Lord Jesus is one of the most secret hidden Mysteries in the life of a Christian indeed we may complain John 4. The Well is deep and we have nothing to draw withall But labour to get your Bucket of faith that you may be able to draw water out of this Well of Salvation Isa 12. Labour by vitall acts of a powerfull faith set on work in Mediation and Prayer to draw vertue and influence from Jesus Christ the Mouth of Prayer and the breathings of Faith from an heart soakt and steept in holy Meditations applyed to Jesus Christ will certainly though perhaps insensibly draw vertue from him Behold Faith drew vertue from Christ by a touch of his Garments shall it not much more draw out that rich and precious influence by applying of him in the promises and in his Offices unto our souls Consider oh Christian who ever thou art even thou that art in Christ consider God hath not trusted thee with grace enough before hand for one moneth no not for a week a day Nay thou hast not grace enough before hand for the performance of the next duty or the conquering of the next temptation nor for the expediting thy self out of the next difficulty And why so But that thou mayst learn to live by continuall dependance upon Jesus Christ as Paul did Gal. 2.20 The life that I now live in the flesh I live it by the faith of the Son of God Paul lived by fresh influence drawn from Christ by faith every day and hour study that life it is very Mysterious but exceeding precious Had we our stock before hand we should quickly spend all and prove bankrupts 1 Cor. 1.36 God hath laid up all our treasure of Wisedom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption in Jesus Christ and will have us live from hand to mouth that so we might be safe and Gods free grace be exalted Rom. 12.16 It is of faith that it might be by grace to the end your promise might be sure to all the seed Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of this heavenly calling look up to Jesus Christ who is the Covenant of his Father and your Covenant loe he calls you Look unto me Isai 48.22 and be yee saved all the ends of the earth Surely they are worthy to perish who will not bestow a look upon Salvation Oh look humbly and look beleevingly and look continually look for Interest look for Influence look for Righteousnesse look for Strength and let Jesus Christ be All in All to thy soul thou wilt never be any thing nor do any thing in Christianity till thou comest to live in and upon Jesus Christ and him onely Humbly entreat the Lord and give him no rest That he will make a Covenant with thee in Christ which shall keep thee and then thou wilt be able to keep thy Covenant Look up to Christ for Covenant-grace to keep Covenant-engagement and so shalt thou do this service in a Gospel-sence to Acceptation to Perpetuitie I have now done with these three Quaeres What Why How How to Acceptation Perpetuitie I know much more might be added but the work to which we are to addresse our selves will take up much time the Lord set home what hath been spoken Onely give me leave to tell you thus much in a word for the close of all As this Covenant prospers with us so we are like to prosper under it The welfare of the Kingdom and of thy soul is bound up now in this Covenant For I remember what God speaks of the Kingdom of Israel brought into Covenant now with the King of Babylon to serve him and to be his Vassals 〈◊〉 17.13 14. Vers 16.17