virtue from Christ, for behold, all the fulness that dwells in Christ is
thine; 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 virtue of thy interest in, and union with the Lord
Jesus, it is all become thine. Hence you hear the believing soul making
her boast of Christ, as before, for righteousness so also for strength.
"In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." As righteousness for
acceptance, so strength also for performance of such duties, as God in
His covenant doth require and expect at the believer's hands: I have no
strength of mine own, but in Christ I have enough; "In the Lord I have
righteousness and strength." Christ is the lord-keeper, or lord high
steward, or lord treasurer; to receive in and lay out, for and to all
that are in covenant with the Father. And this is one main branch of
God's covenant with the Redeemer, that He gives out to the heirs of
promise, wherewithal to "keep their covenant with God;" so that they
never depart from Him. "As for Me, 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 seed's seed, saith the Lord, from
henceforth and for ever." These be the words of God the father to the
Redeemer, concerning all His spiritual seed; "the Redeemer shall come to
Zion." And that Spirit, and these words of life and grace which were
upon the Redeemer, must be propagated to all His believing seed; by
virtue whereof, their covenant with God, shall in its proportion be like
God's covenant with them (for indeed the one is but the counterpart of
the other) unchangeable, everlasting. "I will make an everlasting
covenant with them, 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 wisdom to draw out the excellencies of a man: "Counsel
in the heart of a man is deep, but a man of understanding will draw it
out." It is a fine art to be able to pierce a man, that is like a vessel
full of wine, and set him a running; but to draw out influence and
virtue from the Lord Jesus is one of the most secret hidden mysteries in
the life of a Christian: indeed we may complain, "the well is deep, and
we have nothing to draw withal." But labour to get your bucket of faith,
that you may be able to "draw water out of this well of salvation."
Labour by vital acts of a powerful faith; set to work in meditation and
prayer, to draw virtue and influence from Jesus Christ; the mouth of
prayer, and the breathings of faith from an heart soakt and steept in
holy meditations, applied to Jesus Christ, will certainly (tho' perhaps
insensibly) draw virtue from Him. Behold, faith drew virtue 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, O Christian, whoever thou art, even
thou that art in Christ, consider, God hath not trusted thee with grace
enough before hand, for one month, 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 thyself
out of the next difficulty; and why so? But that thou mayest learn to
live by continual dependence upon Jesus Christ, as Paul did, "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: God hath laid up all our treasure of "wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption in Jesus Christ," and will have us live
from hand to mouth, that so we might be safe, and God's free grace be
exalted: "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; lo, He calls you. "Look unto
Me, and be ye 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 believingly, and look continually; look for interest, look for
influence, look for righteousness, 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 only: 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 sense, to acceptation, to perpetuity.
I have now done with these three queries; What? Why? How? How to (1)
Acceptation? and (2) Perpetuity? I know much more might be added, but
the work to which we are to address ourselves, will take up much time;
the Lord set home what hath been spoken.
Only 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; that "by keeping covenant it should stand." And the
breaking of that covenant was the breaking of Zedekiah and his whole
family and kingdom. Now was covenant-breach, or fidelity the foundation
of stability or ruin to that kingdom, which was struck, but with a dying
man; how much more is the rise and fall of this kingdom; yea, of these
two kingdoms, bound up in the observation or forfeiture of this
covenant, which we make this day with the living God? You that wish well
to the kingdoms, that would not see the downfall and ruin thereof; be
from henceforth more conscientious of your covenant, than ever
heretofore; for surely, upon the success of this covenant we stand or
fall; as we deal with the covenant, God will deal with us; if we slight
the covenant, God will slight us; if we have mean thoughts of the
covenant, God will have mean thoughts of us; if we forget the covenant,
God will forget us; if we break the covenant, we may look that God shall
break these two nations, and break us all to pieces; if we reject it,
God will reject us; if we regard our covenant, God will regard His
covenant, and regard us too; if we remember the covenant, God will
remember His, and remember us; if we keep the covenant, the covenant
will keep us, and our posterity for ever.
There are a people of whom I hear God speaking gracious words. "Surely
they are My people, children that will not lie." My people, Mine by
covenant; I have brought them into the bond of the covenant; I have made
My covenant with them, and they have made their covenant with Me: and
they be children that will not lie; I know they will deal no more as a
lying and treacherous generation with Me, but will be a faithful people
in their covenant; and I will be a faithful God unto them; "I will be
their Saviour, they will serve Me, and I will save them."
Now the Lord make us such a people unto Him, children that will not lie,
and He be such a God to us; He be our Saviour, a Saviour to both
kingdoms, and every soul that makes this covenant; to save us from sin,
and to save us from destruction; to save us from our enemies without,
and to save us from our enemies within; to save us from the devil, and
to save us from the world, and to save us from ourselves; to save us
from the lusts of men, and to save us from our own lusts; to save us,
and to save our posterity: to save us from Rome, and save us from hell;
to save us from wrath present, and from wrath to come; to save us here,
and to save us hereafter; to save us to Himself in grace, and to save us
with Himself in glory, to all eternity, for Christ's sake, Amen, and
Amen.
THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS AND COMMONS,
_Issued February 2, 1644._
Whereas a covenant for the preservation and reformation of religion, the
maintenance and defence of laws and liberties, hath been thought a fit
and excellent means to acquire the favour of Almighty God towards the
three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland; and likewise to unite
them, and by uniting, to strengthen and fortify them against the common
enemy of the true reformed religion, peace and prosperity of these
kingdoms: and whereas both houses of parliament in England, the cities
of London and Westminster, and the kingdom of Scotland, have already
taken the same; it is now ordered and ordained by the Lords and Commons
in Parliament, that the same covenant be solemnly taken in all places
throughout the kingdom of England, and dominion of Wales. And for the
better and more orderly taking thereof, these directions ensuing are
appointed and enjoined strictly to be followed.
_Instructions for the taking of the Solemn League and Covenant
throughout the Kingdom._
1. That the speakers of both Houses of Parliament do speedily send, to
the lord general, and all other commanders in chief, and governors of
towns, forts, castles, and garrisons; as also to the earl of Warwick,
lord high admiral of England, true copies of the said Solemn League and
Covenant, to the end it may be taken by all officers and soldiers under
their several commands.
2. That all the knights and burgesses now in parliament, do take special
care, speedily to send down into their several counties (which are, or
shall hereafter be under the power of the parliament) a competent number
of true copies of the said league and covenant, unto the committees of
parliament in their several counties; and that the said committees do
within six days at the most disperse the said copies to every
parish-church or chapel in their several counties, to be delivered unto
the ministers, church-wardens, or constables of the several parishes.
3. That the said committees be required to return a certificate of the
day when they received the said copies, as also the day they sent them
forth, and to what parishes they have sent them; which certificate they
are to return to the clerk of the parliament, appointed for the commons'
house, that so an account may be given of it, as there shall be
occasion.
4. That the several ministers be required to read the said covenant
publicly unto their people, the next Lord's day after they receive it,
and prepare their people for it, against the time that they shall be
called to take it.
5. That the said league and covenant be taken by the committees of
parliament, in the place where they reside, and tendered also to the
inhabitants of the town, within seven days after it comes to the said
committee's hands.
6. That the said committees after they have taken it themselves, do
speedily disperse themselves through the said counties, so as three or
four of them be together, on days appointed, at the chief places of
meeting, for the several divisions of the said counties: and summon all
the ministers, church-wardens, constables, and other officers unto that
place, where, after a sermon preached by one appointed by the committee
for that purpose, they cause the same minister to tender the league and
covenant unto all such ministers, and other officers, to be taken and
subscribed by them, in the presence of the said committees.
7. That the said committees do withal give the said ministers in charge,
to tender it unto all the rest of their parishioners the next Lord's
day, making then unto their said parishioners some solemn exhortation,
concerning the taking and observing thereof: and that the said
committees do also return to the several parishes, the names of all such
as have taken the covenant before them, who yet shall also subscribe
their names in the book or roll with their neighbours, in their several
parishes: and if any minister refuse or neglect to appear at the said
summons, or refuse to take the said covenant before the committee, or to
tender it to his parish, that then the committees be careful to appoint
another minister to do it in his place.
8. That this league and covenant be tendered to all men, within the
several parishes, above the age of eighteen, as well lodgers as
inhabitants.
9. That it be recommended to the earl of Manchester, to take special
care, that it be tendered and taken in the university of Cambridge.
10. That for the better encouragement of all sorts of persons to take
it, it be recommended to the assembly of divines, to make a brief
declaration, by way of exhortation, to all sorts of persons to take it,
as that which they judge not only lawful, but (all things considered)
exceeding expedient and necessary, for all that wish well to religion,
the king and kingdom, to join in, and to be a singular pledge of God's
gracious goodness to all the three kingdoms.
11. That if any minister do refuse to take, or to tender the covenant,
or any other person, or persons, do not take it the Lord's day that it
is tendered, that then it be tendered to them again the Lord's day
following, and if they still continue to refuse it, that then their
names be returned by the minister that tenders it, and by the
church-wardens, or constables, unto the committees, and by them to the
house of commons, that such further course may be taken with them, as
the houses of parliament shall see cause.
12. That all such persons as are within the several parishes, when
notice is given of the taking of it, and do absent themselves from the
church at the time of taking it, and come not in afterwards, to the
minister and church-wardens or other officers, to take it in their
presence before the return be made, be returned as refusers.
13. The manner of the taking it to be thus; "The minister to read the
whole covenant distinctly and audibly in the pulpit, and, during the
time of the reading thereof, the whole congregation to be uncovered, and
at the end of his reading thereof, all to take it standing, lifting up
their right hands bare, and then afterwards to subscribe it severally by
writing their names, (or their marks, to which their names are to be
added) in a parchment roll, or a book, whereinto the covenant is to be
inserted, purposely provided for that end, and kept as a record in the
parish."
14. That the Assembly of Divines do prepare an exhortation for the
better taking of the covenant: and that the said exhortation, and the
declaration of the kingdoms of England and Scotland, joined in the
armies for the vindication and defence of their religion, liberties and
laws, against the popish, prelatical and malignant party, and passed the
thirty of January last, be publicly read, when the covenant is read,
according to the fourth and fifth articles: and that a sufficient number
of the copies of the said declaration be sent by the persons, appointed
to send the true copies of the said covenant, in the first and second
articles.
THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT:
EXHORTATION BY THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY.
If the power of religion or solid reason, if loyalty to the king and
piety to their native country, or love to themselves and natural
affection to their posterity, if the example of men touched with a deep
sense of all these, or extraordinary success from God thereupon, can
awaken an embroiled, bleeding remnant to embrace the sovereign and only
means of their recovery, there can be no doubt but this solemn league
and covenant will find, wheresoever it shall be tendered, a people ready
to entertain it with all cheerfulness and duty.
And were it not commended to the kingdom by the concurrent encouragement
of the honourable Houses of Parliament, the Assembly of Divines, the
renowned city of London, multitudes of other persons of eminent rank and
quality in this nation, and the whole body of Scotland, who have all
willingly sworn and subscribed it, with rejoicing at the oath, so
graciously seconded from heaven already by blasting the counsels, and
breaking the power of the enemy more than ever; yet it goeth forth in
its own strength, with such convincing evidence of equity, truth and
righteousness, as may raise in all (not wilfully ignorant, or miserably
seduced) inflamed affections to join with their brethren in this happy
bond, for putting an end to the present miseries, and for saving of both
king and kingdom from utter ruin, now so strongly and openly laboured by
the popish faction, and such as have been bewitched and besotted by
that viperous and bloody generation.
For what is there almost in this covenant, which was not for substance
either expressed, or manifestly included in that solemn protestation of
May 5th, 1641, wherein the whole kingdom stands engaged until this day?
The sinful neglect whereof doth (as we may justly fear) open one
floodgate the more to let in all these calamities upon the kingdom, and
cast upon it a necessity of renewing covenant, and of entering into
this.
If it be said, the extirpation of prelacy, to wit, the whole
hierarchical government (standing, as yet, by the known laws of the
kingdom) is new and unwarrantable: this will appear to all impartial
understandings, (tho' new) to be not only warrantable, but necessary; if
they consider (to omit what some say, that this government was never
formally established by any laws of this kingdom at all) that the very
life and soul thereof is already taken from it by an act passed in this
present parliament, so as (like Jezebel's carcase of which no more was
left but the skull, the feet, and the palms of her hands) nothing of
jurisdiction remains, but what is precarious in them, and voluntary in
those who submit unto them: that their whole government is at best but a
human constitution, and such as is found and adjudged by both houses of
parliament, (in which the judgment of the whole kingdom is involved and
declared) not only very prejudicial to the civil state, but a great
hindrance also to the perfect reformation of religion. Yea, who knoweth
it not to be too much an enemy thereunto, and destructive to the power
of godliness, and pure administration of the ordinances of Christ? Which
moved the well-affected, almost throughout this kingdom, long since to
petition this parliament (as hath been desired before, even in the reign
of queen Elizabeth, and of king James) for a total abolition of the
same. Nor is any man hereby bound to offer any violence to their
persons, but only in his place and calling, to endeavour their
extirpation in a lawful way.
And as for those clergymen, who pretend that they (above all others)
cannot covenant to extirpate that government, because they have (as they
say) taken a solemn oath to obey the bishops, _in licitis et honestis:_
they can tell, if they please, that they that have sworn obedience to
the laws of the land, are not thereby prohibited from endeavouring by
all lawful means the abolition of those laws, when they prove
inconvenient or mischievous. And if yet there should any oath be found,
into which any ministers or others have entered, not warranted by the
laws of God and the land, in this case they must teach themselves and
others, that such oaths call for repentance, not pertinacity in them.
If it be pleaded, That this covenant crosseth the oaths of supremacy and
allegiance; there can be nothing further from truth; for, this covenant
binds all and more strongly engageth them to "preserve and defend the
king's majesty's person, and authority, in the preservation and defence
of the true religion and liberties of the kingdoms."
That scruple, That this is done without the king's consent, will soon be
removed, if it be remembered, that the protestation of the fifth of May,
before-mentioned, was in the same manner voted and executed by both
houses, and after (by order of one house alone) sent abroad to all the
kingdom, his majesty not excepting against it, or giving any stop to it,
albeit he was resident in person at Whitehall.
Thus Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra x. Neh. ix.) drew all the people into a
covenant without any special commission from the Persian monarchs (then
their sovereigns) so to do, albeit they were not free subjects, but
vassals, and one of them the servant of Artaxerxes, then by conquest
king of Judah also.
Nor hath this doctrine or practice been deemed seditious or
unwarrantable, by the princes, that have sat upon the English throne,
but justified and defended by Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory, with
the expense of much treasure and noble blood, in the united provinces of
the Netherlands combined not only without, but against the unjust
violence of Philip, king of Spain; king James followed her steps, so far
as to approve their union, and to enter into a league with them as free
states; which is continued by his majesty now reigning, unto this day;
who both by his expedition for relief of Rochel in France, and his
strict confederacy with the prince of Orange, and the states general,
notwithstanding all the importunity of Spain to the contrary, hath set
to his seal that all that had been done by his royal ancestors, in
maintainance of those who had so engaged and combined themselves, was
just and warrantable.
And what had become of the religion, laws, and liberties of our sister
nation of Scotland, had they not entered into such a solemn league and
covenant at the beginning of the late troubles there? Which course
however it was at first, by the popish and prelatic projectors,
represented to his majesty, as an offence of the highest nature, justly
deserving chastisement by the fury of a puissant army; yet when the
matter came afterwards in cool blood to be debated, first by
commissioners of both kingdoms, and then in open parliament here, (when
all those of either house, who are now engaged at Oxford, were present
in parliament, and gave their votes therein) it was found, adjudged and
declared by the king in parliament, that our dear brethren of Scotland
had done nothing but what became loyal and obedient subjects, and were
by act of parliament publicly righted in all the churches of this
kingdom, where they had been defamed.
Therefore, however some men, hoodwinked and blinded by the artifices of
those Jesuitical engineers, who have long conspired to sacrifice our
religion to the idolatry of Rome, our laws, liberties and persons to
arbitrary slavery, and our estates to their insatiable avarice, may
possibly be deterred and amused with high threats and declarations,
flying up and down on the wings of the royal name and countenance, now
captivated and prostituted to serve all their lusts, to proclaim all
rebels and traitors who take this covenant; yet, let no faithful English
heart be afraid to join with our brethren of all the three kingdoms in
this solemn league, as sometimes the men of Israel, although under
another king, did with the men of Judah, at the invitation of Hezekiah.