_Fourth_, You, my brethren of the ministry, your hearts are to be engaged too, that you also may gain G.o.d by the engagement: be not you behind the very forwardest of the Lord"s people; you are not an inconsiderable party in this land. The joy and happiness of Israel was because of the Levites that waited, that were diligent in their duties, and diligently attended upon the Lord. "I will cause the horn of Israel to flourish, saith G.o.d:" by what means? "I will give thee, Ezekiel, an open mouth." That G.o.d may give you a heart to teach knowledge, come, engage your hearts as a gift to G.o.d. O, saith Moses, "that all the Lord"s people were prophets!" O, say we, that all this land"s people had prophets, but prophets of the Lord, that might feed them with wisdom and understanding, that they all might know the Lord, from the greatest to the least of them! But ah? Lord G.o.d, the eye of this kingdom is distempered, dim, and dark; and then how great is this darkness! our prophets have prophesied lies, and our priests have pleaded for Baal, and they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?
Instead of standing for G.o.d, they have stood against Him; and instead of being the best, they are become the basest: the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. If G.o.d should come, as once, to seek for a man, that should stand in the gap, and make up the breach; among these He would find the fewest: in this respect our state may be like that which we find described. Christ comes to make a perfect description of His church, and so consequently, a comfortable expression of Himself to His church: and whereas the eyes are the chiefest seat of beauty, and therefore likeliest to be stood upon, he begins thus. "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me." By eyes, understand the ministry; I come to speak comfortable things to My people, but set away the ministers out of My sight, for they have overcome My patience, and filled Me with fury: now these being removed, the description doth lovingly go on. Thy hair, thy young professors, are like a flock of goats; thy teeth, thy civil officers, like a flock of sheep; thy temples, thy ordinary and common Christians. All right but the eyes, the eyes I cannot endure. But let none of us provoke this complaint, nor hold off any longer from the Lord that invites. What say you? Are you willing to this engagement? Will you bind yourselves to the Lord? Let me extend my speech to all, and dispatch the remains of this point, and my meaning thus: that you may be encouraged to engage, consider two things.
_First_, The seasonableness.
_Secondly_, The success of such engagements.
_First_, The seasonableness: there is a time for all purposes, and every word and action is beautiful in his own time. A public engagement is then seasonable, 1. When a land hath been full of troubles: G.o.d by such troubles prepares a people for Him in this duty. "I will cause you to pa.s.s under the rod, and so I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." And we know, we feel G.o.d hath chastised us sore of late; but in them He hath not given us over to death, that by them He might prepare us for Himself. When a land hath been full of corruptions, and a shrewd decay hath been in spirituals: by a covenant hath such a people recovered themselves, and regained their G.o.d. After the great apostasy by Athaliah, Jehoiada renewed their interest by a covenant. When Mana.s.ses and his son had suffered destruction from G.o.d, and advanced idolatry with or above G.o.d; Josiah purged all by a covenant. Our decays are evident, our corruptions destructive; our covenant therefore seasonable. Come, let us engage our hearts to approach to G.o.d. 3. When the enemy begins to fall, and G.o.d begins to shine upon His own. Asa returning from a victory, called his land to a covenant. When Athaliah was slain, the league was sworn, by Joash and his kingdom. Since this motion of a covenant is come among us, G.o.d hath, as it were, begun to draw near, in the siege of Gloucester raised, in the success at Newbery, gained. G.o.d is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.
_Second_, The success. Come and see the works of the Lord, what wonders He hath wrought, when a people hath thus bound themselves to be His. 1.
A king injuriously put from his right by an usurping hand, after such a covenant was re-established, "He sat him down on the throne of the kings." 2. A land miserably put from its peace, after such a covenant, was re-settled, peace was re-obtained; and that as a fruit of prayer, and so acknowledged, "Israel had sworn, and sought G.o.d; G.o.d was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about." 3. Religion craftily, and wickedly put from its purity after such a covenant, was reformed; after such a reformation continued. The engagement being made, "all Josiah"s days they returned not back from the Lord G.o.d of their fathers." 4. Rebels and rebellion, basely and bloodily backed and managed against the Lord and His ways, against His people and their practices; after such a covenant, have been overthrown and subdued, "I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Then I will sever from among you the rebels; I will chase them from their own land, and hinder that they shall not enter into the land of Israel. The Lord give this success concerning Ireland, sever out the rebels there from true subjects; chase them from their own land; and yet keep them from ever entering into our land, the land of the inheritance of the Lord.
Now these successful effects of covenanting well minded,
_First_, May hint to us a satisfactory reason, in case peace comes not presently. G.o.d hath some more adversaries to overthrow, to worm out; His sword hath not eaten flesh enough; neither are His arrows drunk with blood yet; with the blood of such earthly men, whom He hath appointed to destruction. The hearts of the Philistines were so hardened, that they never sought after peace, "For it came of the Lord, to the intent that they might be utterly destroyed." Who knows, whether our peace hath been denied; our propositions cast out; our treaties fruitless, for such an end as this? It was of the Lord, who hath a purpose to destroy more. G.o.d lays afflictions on His people, and they continue upon them; but in the mean s.p.a.ce to quiet their spirits, He teacheth them out of His law, that these troubles must stay only "till a pit be digged for the wicked."
_Second_, May encourage us to go on. You have now armour of proof, such armour as is not ordinary, armed with a covenant: Go, saith the angel to Gideon, in this thy might. Go (say I, to every one) in this thy might, the strength of this thy covenant, and the effect will be such, as is not ordinary. When the Philistines perceived that the Israelites had brought the ark of the covenant into the battle, they cried out, "Woe unto us; for it hath not been so heretofore: woe unto us; who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty G.o.ds?" When your enemies shall perceive, that you come armed with the armour of a covenant with G.o.d, I hope they, struck with amazement, shall cry, "Woe unto us; we were never so opposed before: woe unto us; who shall deliver us out of the power of this mighty prevailer?" If it will thus daunt, take it with you, be strong. Again, I say, Go in the might thereof, and G.o.d shall prosper thee for ever.
III. _Satisfactory._ According to the condition of the person, such is the nature of the objection. One out of the malignity of his spirit, cavils against the work; another out of tenderness of conscience, scruples the taking. I shall briefly touch upon one or two, and wind up all in a few words. The queries I have met with, are such as these: two objections when I was designed to this service, were sent me in writing, which, when thoroughly viewed, I perceived nothing at all to concern our case, or covenant.
_Obj._ 1. Whether by any law, divine or human, may reformation of religion be brought in by arms? _Ans._ 1. What is this at all to the covenant, where there is no mention of arms at all? 2. What is this to our present condition, where reforming by arms is not at all the question? For if reformation of religion be the case of our affairs; then either the parliament are they that do it, or the cavaliers: not the cavaliers, for they are on the defensive: witness all their declarations. Not the parliament, for then the cavaliers will be found fighters against religion, and resisters of G.o.d. 3. I answer negatively, it is not. The sword is not the means which G.o.d hath ordained to propagate the gospel: "Go and teach all nations;" not, go and subdue all nations, is our Master"s precept.
_Obj._ 2. Whether to swear to a government that shall be, or to swear not to dissent from such a future government, be not to swear upon an implicit faith? _Ans._ 1. This is nothing to the covenant, neither can I see upon what ground any should raise such an impertinent scruple. 2. It is, he that so swears, swears upon an implicit faith: for one reason against the articles of the prelates was, that they forced us to swear to the homilies that shall be set out. But these things are extravagant.
Other objections by word of mouth have been propounded, some whereof I will here touch upon.
_Obj._ 1. One would make a stand at the phrase, [in our callings,] as if some politic mystery were therein involved, and would have it changed, [according to our callings, or so far forth as they extend.] There is an ident.i.ty in the phrase, an action enjoined to be done in such a place, every corner, as far as that place extends, is that place, and no other.
All is one.
_Obj._ How if the parliament should hereafter see a convenience in prelacy for this kingdom, were not this oath then prejudicial, either to the parliament"s liberty, or kingdom"s felicity? _Ans._ This objection supposes,
_First_, That the most wicked antichristian government may be a lawful government in point of conscience.
_Second_, That it is possible, that this prelatical government may be convenient for a state or kingdom. When as 1. They have been burdensome in all ages; what opposites in England have they been to our kings, till their interests were changed? 2. All reformed religions in the world have expelled them, as incompatible with reformation. 3. They have set three kingdoms together by the ears, for the least, and worst of causes, which now lie weltering in their own blood, ready to expire. 4.
Experience now shows, there is no inconvenience in their want; either in Scotland, or in England.
_Obj._ But what, if the exorbitances be purged away, may not I, notwithstanding my oath, admit of a regulated prelacy? _Ans._ 1. We swear not against a government that is not. 2. We swear against the evils of every government; and doubtless many materials of prelacy must of necessity be retained, as absolutely necessary. 3. Taking away the exorbitances, the remaining will be a new government, and no prelacy.
_Obj._ For the discovery of all malignants, all that have been; whether, if I have a friend, that hath been a malignant, and is now converted, am I bound to discover him? _Ans._ This his malignity, was either before the covenant, or since; if before, no. For then this league had no being, and a _non-ens_ can have no contrariety. If since, the discovery must be at the first appearance of malignity, whilst he is so.
_Obj._ What if one make a party to uphold prelacy, whilst it stands by law, must I oppose him, or discover him by virtue of this oath? Doth the oath bind me to oppose legal acts? _Ans._ i. Quer. Whether there be any particular law for prelacy? 2. Quer. Whether the making a party be legal? 3. Quer. Whether any thing, the extirpation of which is sworn by an ordinance of parliament, can be said to stand by law?
These are some queries I have met with. I heartily wish that the same tenderness of conscience in all things may be seen, which if not, it will hardly be called a scruple of tenderness, but a cavil of malignity.
What now remains but only prayers, that the great G.o.d of our judgments and consciences, would so clear and satisfy our souls in these leagues and bonds, that without reluctancy we may all swear to G.o.d, and, having sworn, we may have a care to keep the oath inviolable; that as once Israel, so all England may rejoice because of the oath: and G.o.d may be established, and His kingdom settled; that His presence may dwell among men, and His protection among the sons of men; that He may be near in our covenanting, found in our prayers, and give us rest; and that we being engaged, may live to Him, and not to others, henceforth and for ever.
THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:
SERMON AT WESTMINSTER.
_BY JOSEPH CARYL.[12]_
"And because of all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it."
--_Nehemiah_ ix. 38.
The general subject of this verse, is the special business of this day.
A solemn engagement to the Lord, and among ourselves, in a sure covenant. Wherein we may consider these five things.
_First_, The nature of a covenant, from the whole.
_Secondly_, The grounds of a covenant, from those words, "because of all this."
_Thirdly_, The property of a covenant, in that epithet, Sure--"we make a sure covenant."
_Fourthly_, The parties entering into, and engaging themselves in a covenant, expressed by their several degrees and functions, Princes, Levites, priests. And were these all? All whom this verse specifies, and enow to bring in all the rest? Where the governors and the teachers go before in an holy example, what honest heart will not follow? And the next chapter shews us, all who were honest hearted, following this holy example, verse 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 G.o.d, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding: They clave unto their brethren, their n.o.bles, and entered into," &c.
_Fifthly_, The outward acts by which they testified their inward sincere consent, and engaged themselves to continue faithful in that covenant: First, writing it. Second, sealing to it. Third, (in the tenth chapter, ver. 29.) "They entered into a curse." Fourth, "Into an oath, to walk in G.o.d"s law, which was given by Moses the servant of G.o.d, and to observe to do all the commandments of the Lord their G.o.d, with the statutes and judgments. And that they would not give their daughters to the people of the land," &c: with divers many articles of that covenant, tending both to their ecclesiastical and civil reformation.
I begin with the first point, the nature of a covenant. Concerning which, we may receive some light from the notation of the original words; 1. For a covenant. 2. For the making of a covenant. The Hebrew _Berith (a covenant)_ comes from _Barah_, which signifieth two things: _First_, To choose exactly, and judiciously. _Second_, To eat moderately, or sparingly. And both these significations of the root _Barah_, have an influence upon this derivative _Berith_, a covenant: the former of these intimating, if not enforcing, that a covenant is a work of sad and serious deliberation, for such are elective acts.
Election is, or ought to be made, upon the rational turn of judgment, not upon a catch of fancy, or the hurry of our pa.s.sions.
Now, in a covenant, there is a double work of election: _First_, An election of the persons, between whom. _Second_, An election of the conditions, or terms upon which the covenant is entered. As G.o.d"s covenant people are His chosen people, so must ours. Some persons will not enter into covenant, though invited; and others, though they offer themselves, are not to be admitted. They who are not fit to build with us, are not fit to swear with us. Some offered their help to the Jews in the repair of the temple, "Let us build with you, for we seek your G.o.d."
But this tender of their service was refused. "Ye have nothing to do with us, to build an house unto our G.o.d; but we ourselves together will build." What should we do with their hands in the work, whose hearts, we know, are not in the work? The intendment of such enjoining, must be either to build their hay and stubble with our gold and silver, or else to pull down by night what they build by day, and secretly to undermine that n.o.ble fabric, which seemingly they endeavoured to set up. We find in this book of Nehemiah, that the persons combining in that covenant, were choice persons. The text of the tenth chapter, sets two marks of distinction upon them. _First_, "All they that separated themselves from the people of the lands, unto the law of G.o.d." _Second_, All "having knowledge, and having understanding." Here are two qualifications, whereof one is spiritual, and the other is natural. The plain English of both may be this, "that fools and malignants, such as (in some measure) know not the cause, and such as have no love at all to the cause, should be outcasts from this covenant." Such sapless and rotten stuff will but weaken, if not corrupt this sacred band.
The tenor of the covenant now tendered, speaks thus respecting the persons. "We n.o.blemen, barons, knights, gentlemen, citizens, burgesses, ministers of the gospel, and commons, of all sorts, in the kingdom of England, Scotland, and Ireland." And doth not this indistinctly admit all, and all, of all sorts? I answer, no. For the words following in the preface, shew expressly, that only they are called to it, who are of one reformed religion; which shuts out all papists, till they return.
And the articles pa.s.s them through a finer sieve, admitting only such as promise, yea, and swear, that through the grace of G.o.d, they will sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour the preservation of the reformed religion, against the common enemy in the one kingdom, the reformation and extirpation of what is amiss in the other two; as also, in their own persons, families, and relations. They who do thus, are choice persons indeed, and they who swear to do thus, are (in charity and justice) to be reputed so, till their own acts and omissions falsify their oaths. Thus our covenant makes an equivalent, though not a formal or nominal election of the persons.
_Second_, There must be a choice of conditions in a covenant; as the persons obliged, so the matter of the obligation must be distinct. This is so eminent in the covenant offered, that I may spare my pains in the clearing of it; every man"s pains in reading of it, cannot but satisfy him, that there are six national conditions about which we make solemn oath, and one personal, about which we make a most solemn profession and declaration, before G.o.d and the world. And all these are choice conditions: such as may well be held forth to be (as indeed they are) the results and issues of many prayers, and serious consultations, in both the kingdoms of England and Scotland. Conditions they are, in which holiness and wisdom, piety and policy, zeal for G.o.d in purging His church, and care for man in settling the commonwealth, appear to have had (in a due subordination) their equal hand and share.
Thus much of a covenant, from the force of the word in the first sense, leading us to the choice both of persons and conditions.
_Second_, The root signifies, to eat moderately, or so much as breaks our fast. And this refers also to the nature of a covenant, which is to draw men into a friendly and holy communion, and converse one with another. "David describes a familiar friend, in whom he trusted, to be one, that did eat of his bread." And the apostle Paul, when he would have a scandalous brother denied all fellowship in church-covenant, he charges it thus, "With such a one, no not to eat." Hence it was a custom upon the making up of covenants, for the parties covenanting, soberly to feast together. "When Isaac and Abimelech sware one to another, and made a covenant; the sacred story tells us, that Isaac made them a feast, and they did eat and drink." A covenant is a binder of affection, to a.s.sure it, but it is a loosner of affection, to express it. And their hearts are most free to one another, which are most bound to one another. How unbecoming is it, that they who swear together, should be so strange as scarce to speak together? That which unites, ought also to multiply our affections.
Further, the word hints so to converse together as not to sin together; for it signifies moderation in eating. As if it would teach us, that at a covenant-feast, or when covenanters feast, they should have more grace, than meat at their tables: or if (through the blessing of G.o.d) their meat be much, their temperance should be more. The covenant yields us much business, and calls to action: excess soils our gifts, and damps our spirits, fitting us for sleep, not for work. In and by this covenant, we (who were almost carried into spiritual and corporal slavery) are called to strive for the mastery. Let us therefore (as this word and the apostle"s rule instruct us) "Be temperate in all things."
Intemperate excessive eaters will be but moderate workers, especially in covenant-work. A little will satisfy their consciences, who are given up to satisfy their carnal appet.i.tes. And he who makes his belly his G.o.d, will not make much of the glory of G.o.d.
So much concerning the nature of a covenant, from the original word; for a covenant, signifying both to chuse, and to eat. We may take in some further light to discover the things from the original word, which we translate "make"--"Let us make a covenant."
That word signifies properly to cut, to strike, or to slay. The reason hereof is given, because at the making of solemn covenants, beasts were killed and divided asunder, and the covenant-makers went between the parts. When G.o.d made that first grand covenant with Abraham, He said unto him, "Take an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid all those pieces one against another." "Behold, a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp" (which latter was the token of G.o.d"s presence for the deliverance of His people) pa.s.sed between those pieces. In Jeremiah we have the like ceremony in making a covenant, "They cut the calf in twain, and pa.s.sed between the parts thereof." Upon this usage the phrase is grounded of cutting or striking a covenant.
Which ceremony had this signification in it, that when they pa.s.sed between those divided parts of the slain beast, the action spake this curse or imprecation, "Let him be cut asunder, let his members be divided, let him be made as this beast, who violates the oath of this covenant."
From these observations about the words, we may be directed about the nature of the thing: and thence collect this description of a covenant.
A covenant is a solemn compact or agreement between two chosen parties or more, whereby with mutual, free, and full consent they bind themselves upon select conditions, tending to the glory of G.o.d, and their common good.
A covenant strictly considered, is more than a promise, and less than an oath; unless an oath be joined with it, as was with that in the text, and is with this we have now before us. A covenant differs from a promise gradually, and in the formalities of it, not naturally, or in the substance of it. G.o.d made promises to Abraham, Gen. xii. and Gen.
xiii. but He made no covenant with him, till chap. xv. ver. 18. "In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham." And the work of the Lord in that day with Abraham, had not only truth and mercy in it, but state and majesty in it. A covenant day, is a solemn day. As the collection of many stars makes a constellation, so the collection of many promises makes a covenant. Or, as in the first of Genesis, "The gathering together of the waters, was by the Lord called seas:" so we may call the gathering together of promises, or conditions, a covenant. The Lord doth (as it were) rally all the promises of mercy made to us, which lie scattered up and down through the whole volume of the scriptures, and puts them together into a covenant: and we do (as it were) rally all the promises of duty which we owe unto G.o.d, and to one another, and put them together in a covenant. Such a bundle of duty is tied up in this present covenant; what duty is there which we owe to G.o.d, to His churches, or these commonwealths whereof we make not promise, either expressly, or by consequence in the compa.s.s of this covenant? And how great an obligation to duly doth this contain, wherein there is an obligation to every duty?