THe holy Prophet Moses, having in the fore-going Chapters, the 28. especially, discovered unto the people as his last words al­most which he spake unto them, the marvellous mercies of the Lord to those which walked with him, and were obedient unto his Commande­ments [Page 2]which he had set before them, and the heavy Iudgements he had prepared for, and would execute on them that walked stubbornly against him; and were disobedient and rebellious, notwithstanding all meanes he used to reclaime them, and all the blessings that he bestowed upon them, as the Com­mandements you may see in the fore-going Chap­ter. If you will observe and doe all that I command you this day: vers. 1. then vers. 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the Citie, and blessed shalt thou be in the field: vers. 4. Bles­sed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground: vers. 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store, &c.

But if not, but they will be disobedient and rebell against him, he sends fire after them presently, and sayes, vers. 16. Cursed shalt thou be in the Citie, and cur­sed shalt thou be in the field. vers. 17. Cursed shalt thou be in thy basket, and in thy store, &c. Now having dealt with them both waies, he windes up all, and deales with them by way of Prophecie, and tels them, what Israel would doe, and what the Lord would doe, if their hearts turned away from him, and from his Statutes, which he had set before them to walke in. He tels them that the people after his death will goe a whoring, O that this might not be, sayes Moses, but yet if it be, the Lord will roote you out of this good Land, and will bring upon you all these curses that are written in this Booke, to plague you here, and will cause everlasting vengeance to seise upon you here­after.

Now after he had dealt with them by mercies and judgements, these not prevailing, the Lord sends an enemie upon them that sweepes them away as un­profitable1 King 14.10. a King. 9 37. Psal. 83.10. Ier. 8.2. & 9.22 & 16.4. & 25.33. dung off the face of the earth. Now the [Page 3]Prophet brings in the Nations here justifying the Lords dealing with them, and saying, vers. 24. Where­fore hath the Lord done thus unto this Land? What meaneth this fierce wrath of the Lord?

As if a man should say, What was this goodly ENGLAND, the onely Nation of all the Earth, and yet now all laid waste in this fearefull manner? Whence came this heavie displeasure, and what doth meane this fierce wrath of the Lord? Now marke what followes, All men shall say, that is, even the wic­ked themselves, all standers by shall give sentence on the Lords side, and justifie his doings, and say, Alas, can you blame the Lord for dealing thus fiercely a­gainst such a stubborne rebellious people? What would you have had the Lord done more, he gave them a Law, and Mercies, and Iudgements, but they would not serve the Lord, but brake the bands asun­der, and cast the cords behinde their backs. Psal. 2.3. Therefore now they shall serve enemies. God is not to be bla­med, What could he have done, or what would you have had him doe more then he did for them? Threatnings from Mount Eball, and Blessings from Mount Gerizzim flue about from this side, and on that side, and yet nothing would doe them good: Why should they live any longer then? what should the Lord doe? they profited by nothing, neither by his mercies, nor his judgements; and what was the cause, brethren? Here was the cause, they were false hearted, they would not walke sincerely with the Lord; and therefore the anger of the Lord was kind­led against them, and he rootetd them out of their Land in his wrath, and in great indignation. Oh the fearefull wrath of the Lord that came upon them!

In the words take notice of three particulars:Parts of the Text. First, the Iudgement of the Lord denounced, threatned 1 and executed against them. It was very sharpe, the Nations were agast that stood by and beheld it, and wondred, and said, Why, who would have thought it, that the adversary and the enemy should have en­tred into the gates of Ierusalem? What, Ierusalem the perfection of beauty, the joy of the whole Earth? As if one should hereafter passe by and see all the Townes burnt up here in this Land, (which God grant may never be) but if it should be so, and one should passe by and see all the houses burnt up, and the Churches burnt; would he not be amazed at it, and say, Why, what meanes this fierce wrath of the Lord? Would it not make our hearts ake Brethren, to passe by these places, and see the houses of God burnt downe to the ground, and thinke with our selves; Oh the good exhortations and admonitions we have heard here!

2 Then secondly, here is the reason and cause why the Lord dealt thus with them,Vers. 25. then men shall say, Be­cause they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God. So brethren, if this should be our case, poore little ones would say then, I remember my father said thus it would be, for the Land forsooke the Cove­nant of the Lord; and the Minister told us of this stubbornnesse and rebellion against the Lord, that this would be the end of it.

3 Then lastly, here is the testimony of the Nations concerning the equitie of the Lords dealing; the standers by justifie it, and said, The Lord is just, for they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God.

And so people would doe here if the Lord should [Page 5]doe with us as he did with the Jews. First, of the 1 judgements which the Lord threatned against them. What means the fierce anger of the Lord? why, it was the fierce anger of the enemies, was it not? Yes, But there is no enemy but is in Gods hand, it is his wrath that they execute. The wicked of the world are but the Lords instruments; the Sword is thine Lord, though thou usest them as the hand to strike with. The Lord commanded destruction to come upon them;Doct. 1. Hence observe God is the Author of all those punishments and judgements, that ever come upon a nation or people, fami­ly or person. It is his will that is the worker; He is the bringer of all sorrows, troubles, and judgements upon any. It was not the Babylonians that overthrew them; It was not Nebuchadnezzar, it was the fierce anger of the Lord that did it: you know what God himselfe sayes, Is there any evill in the citie, and I have not done it? Amos 3.6. And he hisse for an enemy, Isa. 4 5.7. all pla­ces are at his command,Isa. 7.18. he commands deliverance for them, that serve and obey him, as it is in the Psalm: and plagues and destruction for them that disobey him, and rebell against him.

To make this then our own, brethren, by applica­tion, briefly, for I meane to fasten upon nothing in this verse, but to passe on to the other wherein is contained the maine point which I intend to stand upon, as thinking it in my thoughts most fit for this congregation. If this be so, then here is a cooling card for the wicked.Vse. All you that heare this word this day, whose consciences accuse you, that you are enemies to God and goodnesse, heare and feare, and tremble for ever; If God bring judgements, who shall feele them and finde them? surely, his enemies [Page 6]be them that shall feele them,Psal. 10 16. Psal. 10.16. It is the collection that the Psalmist makes. The Lord is King for ever, and what then? the heathen are destroyed, sayes he. If all judgements be at his command, then his enemies shall be sure to feele them. You that have wicked husbands or wives, feare every night when you goe to bed, lest the judgement of the Lord should come upon them, yet ere morning, and cut them off and send them to destruction.Vse. And you that are carelesse of your wayes, and goe on in your wic­kednesse, understand the Lord hath vengeance for you; He hath rods enough, they are not all burnt, he will bring them our against you,Psal. 68.21. and will wound the hairie scalpe of him that goeth on in his sins. Marke what the Apostle saies,1 Pet [...].18. 1 Pet. 4.18. If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare. If the righteous (brethren) hardly get to heaven, but loses an arme, an other a right eye as it were, and with many prayers, and sighes, and graplings with God, and through many temptations hardly come to heaven in the end, and a poore humble soule begge for power against his corruptions, as if he would pluck mercy from the Lord by strong hand, and yet scarce­ly subdue sinne and obtaine salvation; what then will become of a company that are enemies to God and godlines, a company of unrighteous men, where shall they appeare; The day will come when they that stand against the gracious voyce of the Almigh­tie now, shall heare the thundering voyce of the Al­mightie,Luk. 23.30. and shall call and cry to the mountaines and hills to fall upon them and cover them, Rev. 6.16. that they may be hid from the presence of the Judge.

Secondly, observe that the Text sayes, What means [Page 7]the fierce anger of the Lord against this nation? Exod. 19 5. Tit. 2.14. 1 Pet. 2 9. Psal. 60 5. and 108.6. and 127.2. Rom. 3.2. What nation? why, the nation of the Jews, Gods owne peo­ple, his * peculiar, his first borne, Exod. 4.22. his be­loved, Cant. 1.14, 15. and 5.1, 2. to whom the oracles of God were committed, to whom the Prophets came in his name. That nation that had all means of good, that had all mercies, priviledges, and all encourage­ments, the Lord shewed his fierce wrath to them. Learne:Doct. 2. No outward priviledges in the world will free any nation under heaven from the judgements of the Lord, if they sinne against him, and be stubborn and rebellious. If any people might have been exempted and freed, surely the Jews might; They might have said, Why Lord wilt thou plague us? what, wilt thou destroy us? why, we are thy people, we have thy sacrifices, and thy Prophets, and thy Temple is amongst us. That is all one, what means the fierce anger of the Lord a­gainst this nation? sayes the Text. Be the man what he will, the means never so excellent, and the privi­ledges never so great, if he sin, he shall be sure to be plagued, Ier. 7.12. Brethren you may see there, that when the Prophet threatned the judgements of the Lord against them; Jerusalem began to brag of her priviledges, and the mercies of God which he had bestowed on them; Go to Shiloh, sayes the Lord to them, the place where I set my name at first, and see what I did to it, for the wickednesse of my people Israel. The case is cleare and plaine, no priviledges, though the word of God and his ordinances, and the meanes of grace be there, will keepe away judgements: If people sin, God will proceed in wrath against them, Amos 3.2. You only have I knowne (sayes the Lord) of all the fami­lies of the earth: what then? therefore will I cocker [Page 8]and dandle you? no, but therefore will I visit you for all your iniquities.

If this be so brethren,Vse. this teaches us this instructi­on; Not to depend upon our priviledges, not to boast of them, and rest in them, and go away, and say, What, the Spaniards come into England! what, the enemy over­come England! We have the Gospel, the meanes of Grace, no nation under heaven so many in it that feare the Lord as our nation hath. O trust not toly­ing vanities,Jonas 2.8. saying, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, Jer. 7.4. as the Jews did when the Babylonian [...] came: what good did their Temple doe them? your outward profession will be your bane if you trust to it,Rom. 2.9. when time of trouble come; Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that sins, upon the Iew first, marke that brethren; The highest in preferment, the first in punishment: you that have enjoyed great meanes, the Lord will proceed more heavily against you, then against others, when he begins to execute his wrath once; To have the name of outward pro­fession is nothing, it will leave us in the dust if we trust to it: Priviledges are like to paper walles, if a man reare up a paper wall against Cannon shot, will that defend, him brethren? They are good in their place and kinde, but if we put our confidence in them, as if they should keepe us out of trouble, it is like as if a man should put on a cut Sattin suit, or coat of silke to goe in the warres withall, will that pre­serve him against the Cannons, and the enemies? your outward appearance of profession is just so brethren. A hypocriticall, fine smooth coat will not keep off the wrath of the Lord, but that will seise upon the soule, which hath no other defence but such.

Revelation 2.Revel. 2.2. and the beginning Ephesus a Church that lived gloriously, and performed duties comfort­ably, marke what the Lord sayes of them,Vers. 3. I know thy works and thy labour, and how thou canst not beare them which are evill, vers. 4. Yet I have somewhat against thee, Vers. 4. because thou hast left thy first love. And what of that, might some say, I may be an honest man I hope, and goe to heaven too, though I have declined a little, and be not so zealous and forward as I have been, as long as I am sincere and upright-hearted. Aye, but what sayes the Lord, brethren;Vers. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and doe thy first works, or else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy Candlesticke out of his place. Let no man trust in his own strength, depend upon his own priviledges, and shadow him­selfe under the name of Religion, and Gospel.1 Sam. 4 5, 6. 1 Sam. 4. When the Philistines came against Israel, and Israel was smitten before them, the next time they came into the Campe, they sent for the Arke that that might save them out of the hand of their enemies, and when the Arke came into the Campe,Vers. 5. all Israel shouted, so that the earth rang again. Vers. 7. And the Philistines were afraid and said, Woe unto us, for the like was never heard of before, the God of Israel is come into the Field. Who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mightie Gods? Vers. 8. these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues that came upon them. Vers. 9. Be strong and quit your selves like men, oh ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews. And the Philistines fought, Vers. 10. and Israel was smitten. And the Arke of God was taken. Vers. 11. They brought the Arke of the Covenant into the Campe, but the Arke would not defend them, but was taken; Brethren, the Arke was a type of Christ, you bring [Page 10]the name of Christians, and the outward profession of Religion into the field, and you thinke that this will save you out of the hands of your enemies, but you and that will sinke under your enemies, if you put confidence in that: was any nation greater then Baby­lon, or more glorious then Jerusalem? but what is be­come of them brethren? hath not the Lord brought desolation and destruction upon them?Luk. 21.5. O say the Dis­ciples (when they were at Jerusalem and saw the Temple) what goodly buildings are here! Matth. 24.1, 2. vers. 2.Mark. 13.1, 2. I tell you says our Saviour, a stone shall not be left on a stone; It skils not what we are, brethren, in outward professi­on, but what we are in sinceritie, and holinesse. De­pend not on the priviledges which God hath given you, but pray for grace to answer him, according to the means which he hath bestowed upon you, and then this love may be continued, and there may be some hope that you shall injoy these blessed privi­ledges still.

Now we come to the place where we would be, the 25.Vers. 25. verse, wherein is the reason why God deals so with his own people.

The Text gives you to understand the ground of it was because they had forsooke the Covenant of their God.Meaning of the words. This we will fasten upon. And first I will open the words, and then draw some collections from them for our benefit.

First, I will shew you what is meant by Covenant. Secondly, what is meant by forsaking of the Cove­nant. Brethren,Covenant. there is a double Covenant in the frame of Scripture. Joh. 3.15, 16. and 5.24. and 11.25, 26. First, a Covenant of being in God, which is called the Covenant of faith. He that belee­veth shall live. Secondly, a Covenant of walking be­fore or with God, when we have received mercy and [Page 11]grace through the goodnesse of God in acceptation of our persons, in and through Christ, then the Lord requires that we should walke in new obedience be­fore him, answerable to that grace bestowed; Bre­thren marke that; and this is the covenant of new o­bedience or of thankfulnesse, which the Lord re­veals, requires, and exacts of all that have given their names unto him. I take it that the covenant of the second sense is here meant; The other is supposed and included, but this is the maine, the covenant of his Law, whereby we should be obedient unto him, that is the minde of the holy man in this place, and the scope of the words.

Secondly, to forsake this covenant is this; when we keepe not touch with God, in sincere, exact, and holy obedience, answerable to the means and mercy he bestows upon us, and the care and kindnesse of the Lord towards us. When we fleeing away from the command of the Lord, breake his bands,Psal. 2.3. and snap the cords a pieces, when we walke after our own wayes, are not governed by God, and content to be ruled by his holy word in all things, then are we said to forsake his covenant. Nextly marke here, he sayes, they for­sooke it, that is, the generall frame of the nation. The generall, not the naughtie packs only and some few, but they forsooke it.

Now brethren having opened the words unto you, I will come unto the points of instruction; and first in that he cals his Commandement, and Law his Covenant, observe a maine point of great use and benefit, and that is this.

That the Commandements of the Lord, Doctrine. are the Cove­nant of the Lord with his people, the Covenant of new obe­dience: This is the Covenant that God makes with [Page 12]his people,Deut. 5.2.6. not of life, but of thankfulnesse, Deut. 5.2.6. That one place will cast the case cleere enough. In the second vers. he saith, The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in [...]oreh; then in the sixt vers. and so on,Vers 6. there is the Covenant it selfe set downe. I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, Vers. 7. out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none other Gods before me. Famous is that place, Psal. 103.18.Psal. 103.17, 18 There are two Phrases used which serve to one purpose, and the one explicates the other, vers. 17. The goodnesse of the Lord indures for ever and ever; But upon whom,Vers. 18. brethren? upon those that keepe his Commandements, and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them. So that his Covenants and Commandements are all one. As in a Covenant there are Articles of agreement betweene party and party; so betweene God and his people. Here are the Articles of agree­ment, the Ten words which God spake, the Ten Commandements: This Moses aimes at here: Now brethren, to set the truth upon his right ground, for the opening of the point take notice of three things.Three things. First, what are the termes required in the Covenant. Secondly, where in this Covenant consists, or what is the substance of this Covenant. Thirdly, the reason why the Commandement is called a Covenant.

1 First of the termes required in the Covenant of us under the Gospel. The tenure of the Law is in a dou­ble consider [...]tion: First, a legall performance of the Commandements. Secondly, an Evangelicall per­formance and obedience. These are the two termes of conveyance of this Covenant.

1 The Law in the legall performance requires three things: that a man out of his personall holinesse keepe it perfectly and exactly, and that to purchase [Page 13]and obtaine life by this obedience. This is obe­dience according to the strictnesse and rigor of the Law, wherein it will not abate an haire of what God requires, but it must be fulfilled every jot, and that out of a mans owne personall holinesse, and that in way of life: Thus it was a Covenant betweene God and Adam onely, Adam in his innocencie, God gave him a good Law, by vertue of which he should have lived if he had kept it, and by that holinesse he had by gift and creation he was able to keepe every mi­nime and tittle of the precepts of the Lord, and to obtaine life thereby. But this Covenant is not con­tinued with us, is not required at our hands, no man doth or can performe the Law out of his owne holinesse and goodnesse exactly, to obtain life there­by, Rom. 6.24. We are not under the Law, Rom 6.14. but under Grace; that is, we are not bound to the strictnesse and rigour of the Law, that a man should not live if he have in him any weakenesse and failings, therein we are free from the rigour, and curse, and punishment of the Law. Secondly, Evangelicall obedience:2 O­bedience to the Law of God according to modera­tion, and the mitigation of the Gospel, so farre as God is pleased to accept of what we can doe through Christ in way of thankefulnesse, not what we should doe in regard of the exactnesse God looks for at our hands, though we have no power of our own, we can not performe the Law exactly, yet if we according to the measure of grace received, walk in this obedi­ence as well as we can in token of our thankfulnesse; this is the tenure of the Covenant made with us.

The second [...]art of the conveyance of the Cove­nant, 2 in it, take notice of three things.

First, we have not power of ourselves to keepe it: [Page 14]Secondly, we cannot perfectly performe it by that power we have: Thirdly, when we walke in obe­dience to it, we look not for life and salvation there­by. The scope of Evangelicall obedience, is to glo­rifie God, and to expresse the Covenant by obedi­ence in way of thankfulnesse, and to procure comfort to our soules. We are saved by the Covenant of faith, Beleeve and live, Ioh. 3.15.16.36. not, doe and live. This Covenant whereof we entreat, and whereof the Text is to be understood, is not the Covenant whereby we shall obtaine justification, but an evi­dence and signe, we are justified and accepted of God:Rom. 8.3.4. Rom. 8.3.4. That which was impossible to the Law in that it was weake through the flesh, God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh, and for sinne, condemned sinne in the flesh: That which was impossible to the Law, &c. that can never bring any man to sal­vation, but onely Christ redeemed us fully, and sa­tisfied for us; and he performed what God required, and by that we stand just in the presence of God. But being justified and made acceptable, the Lord re­quires, that we expresse the Covenant, and walke an­swerable unto it, & expresse the vertues of him that hath called us. Brethren, you must not trust to your new obedience, to expect life from it, it is onely an evidence that God hath shewed mercy to you; it makes not you good, but shewes that you are good. Evangelicall obedience according to the measure of grace received, is all that God lookes for: Not that there is worth in this to purchase salvation: It is an e­vidence to us, that the Lord graciously looks upon us in Christ Iesus; it is the way that we must walke in to salvation.

2 Secondly, Wherein doth this Covenant consist? [Page 15]It stands in three things: first, when in inward up­rightnesse and singlenesse of heart, we labour to be caried in vertue of Gods command, not to doe what God requires onely, but because God requires it: many of you come to the Church not because God commands it; then you would not lie, or be drunke, or have secret base covetous humours, for God com­mands you should not doe so, as well as he commands you should come to the Church: If a command cary in any thing, it will cary in every thing. But the frame of an Evangelicall heart is to the Covenant: that is the spring of a mans practise, the first mover, the waight that makes him strik in obedience to eve­ry Commandement, and approve inwardly of every Commandement of God; have not a secret distast of some, and a love of others: he is covetous to be drunke, but will not be covetous, covetous to come to Church, but will not humble his soule privately. Though many failings be in him, and many rubs and hubs in the way, yet the bent of his soule is to Gods Commandement. Cast a Bowle, though there be a rub here, and hub there in the way which turne it out, yet it sals upon the Bias: so an upright heart, though he meet with many hinderances within and without, yet the Bias of the soule, the bent is to God­ward still, to all his Commandements; labouring to expresse the vertues of God which hath called him.

Secondly, there must be an answerable expression and putting forth of this inward disposition, and frame of heart outwardly in tongue and life: If you had a good heart, you would have a good life, and a good tongue: If it be within, it will breake forth; you that are fretfull, proud, stubborne, peevish, stout, [Page 16]froward, and nothing but fiddle faddle, and lament it not; and thinke your heart is good, and you love the Commandements; you deceive your selves: If it were so, you would have a good tongue too, and be meeke and humble. I will not give a Rush for that man, Religion that is not in some measure obedient this way.James 1.26. What saith the Apostle? If any man seeme to be relig [...]ous and r [...]fra [...]ne not his tongue, that mans Re­ligion is in vaine. There must be an expression of the inward goodnesse of the heart, by the outward con­vers [...]ion: a good sap in the botome, good b [...]anches and fruit on the lop.Matth. 12.3▪ 5. A good man out of the good trea­sure of his heart bringeth forth good things.

If goodnesse be in the heart (brethren) it will be brought forth in life: If such bad ware be in the shop, there is as bad in the Warehouse sure, if not worse. This we call the inward and outward Covenant; marke this you that thinke to smooth it over, and carry it away with faire lookes; and speake well, and doe well outwardly, but have durty corners within: the heart is stubborne and rebellious against God; proud, stout, malicious, covetous: These are in the outward Covenant, as those whom the Lord com­plaines of,Isa. 1.2. Isa. 1.2. Heare, O Heavens, and give eare, O Earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up ch [...]ldren, and they have rebelled against me. vers. 3. The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his Masters crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. The wicked are in Covenant with the Lord outwardly, but not inwardly; the heart closes not with God, they are not humble: The Iewes were Gods people in outward Covenant, but were disobe­dient and stubborne against the Lord.

Thirdly, there must be an answering the means 3 of Grace, with the measure of our uprightnesse and obedience: He that hath received more, must re­turne more to God, brethren: He that hath recei­ved more helps from the Almightie, must returne more obedience; you know how Farmes and Leases goe, (brethren) he that hath a Lease of an hundred pound a yeere, must not goe and pay but fiftie pound. And he that hath one of fiftie pound, goe and pay but twenty pound; & he that hath one of twenty pound, goe and pay but tenne pound; the Land-lord will not be put off so for his rent; answerable to the Lease, so must the rent be: you that live in this Congregation sit at a high rate; brethren your Leases are at an hun­dred pound a yeere, looke that you pay God his full rent. The people that are in a Towne, that have a good honest Minister, and carefull and painefull; but he hath not those abilities that another hath; ex­presse not that diligent power, evidence of the Spirit in his Ministery; the people that are in such a place, sit at a good rate: but they that have a faithfull emi­nent powerfull Minister, they sit at marvellous high rents. To pray little, and doe little in good duties, the Lord will not take this of a Dedham Christian; that is for those that have small encouragements, and a Sermon now and then, and that but weake nei­ther, and creepe out once in a moneth to a Sermon, there is a fiftie pound rent, and a ten pound rent for such to pay; but you sit at an hundred pound rent, keepe touch, brethren, come off, come off currantly: Doe you thinke the Lord will lend his mercies for nothing? No, he prizes the life, libertie, and paines of his servants; and their prayers at an exceeding [Page 18]high rate; an hundred pound for a Prayer, and an hundred thousand for an Instruction: and doe you thinke with a prayer now and then, and with a sigh, and a wish, that you could walke with the Lord, to poppe off the Lord so?

No, you sit at heavy rents, and the Lord will call for accounts accordingly at the day of reckoning: brethren, this will breake some of your necks, if it breake not your hearts now by repentance, for your being behinde hand with the Lord in his rent, and make you walke with the Lord better, and keepe touch with him for the time to come: But what is the reason that the Lord will call his Lawes and Commandements Covenants?Reason. The reason is this, for I would have nothing untouched that you may be wise and understanding Christians, because of the likenesse betweene, and the resemblance of a Covenant that is made betweene two parties, and the Law, which is the Covenant which is given us of the Lord: In a Covenant, first there must be con­ditions and Articles of agreement betweene the par­ties offered and consented unto: and secondly, a binding one another to the performance thereof by Bond, perhaps a paire of Indentures are drawne be­tweene them, wherein is declared, that they mutu­ally agree; he to make good the land and to pay thus much rent: the other to let it him thus, and thus. It is just so here; Marke the agreement betweene us and the Lord:Deut. 28. Levit. 26. he propounds the Law, and saith, That if we will keepe the Law, he will blesse us a­bundantly in all things; house, and land, wife, chil­dren, at home, and abroad; in every thing we put our hand unto. Then the people they agree, and [Page 19]say, Content Lord, what ever thou saist, we will doe;Deut. 5.29. the Law thou hast given us, we will keepe it, it is holy, just, and good.

But then for the binding of one another, you will say, How shall we know God will performe his part, and how shall the Lord know that we will performe our part to him, what Bond is there for it? The world is naught, and one cannot tell who to trust, and there­fore God must binde us (brethren) to keepe our Co­venant; and we are not to think much that he should: And we have Bond of him too because of our unbe­liefe: now the Bond is a corporall Oath passed from the one to the other. The Lord takes a corporall Oath, that if we will keepe his Commandements, he will not be God if he blesse us not: And so (bre­thren) you sweare too, again on the other side to the Lord, and did when you were baptized, every one of you, that you would be his people, and obey his Lawes and Commandements.

The Lords people take a corporall Oath, and a Curse upon themselves, if they doe not keepe Co­venant with the Lord. This belongs to us at this day, for we entred into a Curse, and desired that all the plagues and curses written in the Booke of God, might light upon us if we keepe not the Commande­ments of the Lord, Deut. 29.10. When the Lord had propounded the Covenant, marke how he deales with the people;Deut. 29.10. You stand this day all of you before the Lord your God: your Captaines of your Tribes, your Elders, and your Officers, with all the men of Israel: vers. 11. Your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is in thy Campe, from the hewer of thy wood, unto the drawer of thy water: vers. 12.Deut. 29.12. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant [Page 20]with the Lord thy God, and into his Oath (marke that brethren, the Oath of the Lord) which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day: (marke that,) with us from Abraham to this day, the Oath is taken in our Baptisme, we take the Oath of Allegiance, as it were, in this kinde; All you that have given your names to the Lord Jesus, and have received grace from him, you all stand here this day before the Lord (and bring your childrē before the Lord in the day of a Fast, else woe be to you) that we may renew our Covenant with him. We are to enter into his Oath, the Oath of the Covenant betweene the Lord and us; that the Lord may stablish us to day for a People unto him­selfe: and that we may curse our selves, if we doe not walke with God, both our selves and ours: and woe to him that hath no care to keepe his Oath: no won­der he is a begger; no wonder his debtors run from him, and leave him in the lurch.

It is a wonder that the earth doth not open her mouth and swallow him up,Numb. 16.32.33. as it did Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and all the plagues written from the beginning of Genesis, to the end of the Revelation, A­men, fall not upon his soule and body. Why, you have entred into a curse, man, and an Oath with the Lord, Nehem. 10.29.Neh. 10.29. See how the holy man continued this course, how they entred a Covenant there with the Lord; as if they should have said, The Lord curse this tongue, if I speake not graciously; the Lord curse this hand, if I doe not yeeld obedience to his will and command: look to it, the curse will dog thee, and fol­low thee, if thou break Covenant, as it did the Iewes, in Nehemiahs time: Now when he had returned the people out of captivitie, he brought them all before [Page 21]the Lord, to enter into a Curse, and into an Oath, to walke in Gods Law. It was a sweet course; every soule here stands bound to doe as they did. They tooke a solemne Oath, what ever they had beene, they would now walke in Gods Law. Give me your hand, brethren, or at least let me have your heart in the mean time, because that cannot be. Are you the servants of God, entred into Covenant with the Lord? then know you are bound to keepe Covenant by vertue of that Oath; and when you are in your Fa­milies, remember your Oath; you are bound hand and foot to the Lord, and therefore when you are drawne by any thing to breake Covenant with the Lord, thinke thus with your selves: What, an honest man and lie, and forsweare my selfe? you have all sworne to the Lord, brethren, your little ones and all. Cursed shall you be in all that you take in hand, if you doe not walke precisely, and exactly in his Law and Covenant Husbands, call upon your wives,Husband and Wise. and Parents, call upon your children, when you see them breake Covenant; and say, Wife, or children, What, shall we bring a Curse upon our selves? When you begin to be carelesse of the Sabbath, and cold, and luke-warme, and dull; call upon one another, and say, You know the plague was neere at hand, husband at such a time; but the Lord kept it from us. For Gods sake husband, let us take heed that we doe not bring the curse upon our Family: No marvell though one runne away with this from us, and an o­ther with that; and the Lord lay this sicknesse, and that affliction upon us: What, wilt thou be a perjured man? for shame keepe thy Oath; God will never trust thee else hereafter.

Now the Lord sweares to us by himselfe,Heb. 6.13. because he hath no greater to sweare by. It is a sweet thing that the Lord hath bound himselfe by Oath to us, to keepe Covenant with us. If you have an honest and an able man bound to you for a debt, you goe away content, you have enough: Why, we have the Lord in bonds, for the fulfilling his part of the Covenant: He hath taken a corporall Oath of it, that he will doe it; and shall we not take the Lords bond, and rest content with that? Let us nowHeb. 13.22. suffer the words of exhortation, with patience and meeknesse; O bre­thren, this point concerns us neerely this day. Cove­nants goe farre, especially if they be for weighty matters; when a man is in Covenant for more then he is worth. Thinke of it seriously.

The first use shall be of Examination.Vse 1. If this be so, we may have a touch-stone from the forme of Do­ctrine delivered, to discover to us, who is the sound professor indeed: There are a great many formall professors, but few true ones indeed. A man can scarce tell who to trust, you say, for trading; I say, for living; you say, for buying and selling; I say, for pro­fessing: Would you know whether you are sound at root, and not have a name onely to live, and yet are dead, Rev. 3. vers. 1. Revel. 3.1. Let him that keeps Covenant, that deales squarely, (you know what that is brethren) that keeps touch with the Lord, let him be the sin­cere man, he is worthy the name of a Christian.

There are many fadling patching Christians, that are off and on; here and there; there is no hold of them; a man knowes not where to have them; that will say faire, and bid well, but doe nothing in the end. Goe you home to your selves, see whether you [Page 23]keepe touch with the Lord. You thinke you are bound to keepe covenant in nothing but in your mo­ney; Rich men thinke all honesty is in paying of money.

I will not speake of the misery of them that must patch up and down in that fashion, and hang on eve­ry bush; But (ô sayes the rich man, that is carefull to give every man their due, and to keepe his day) what times doe we live in, a man knows not where to lend to have it againe at his time, there is no ho­nest dealing to be found; Marke the villany of his heart, because he keepe touch with men, and is as good as his word; O sayes he, we live in very ill times, and their is scarse a man to be found, that one may trust of his word, there is such unhonest dealing in all places, that there is no hold of mens words: But yet oppresses and grindes the face of the poore, and looks for his gaine altogether: where is your honesty? So some that are carefull of the body, and give it its due, but the soule whines within for mercy, mercy that it may have something to refresh it with­all, but that cannot be heard, that is starved, the bo­dy is fat, but the poore soule is leane enough: where is your honesty? doe you not owe repentance, hearing, reading, and praying to your soules? your poore soule crys, ô remember me, let me have some mercy and forgivenesse sought for me at the hands of the Lord, let me have some time imployed for my good; But you cannot heare it; Is this honesty brethren? if a man sterve his servant, so that he pine away, till he is scarse able to goe, and at last come to the grave, every one cryes out shame of him; But ô brethren, the poore soule that is starved; but no man cryes shame [Page 24]of that, when did the Lord heare of many of you here present? Alas, never brethren, never; But when the soule said, now pray for helpe against this corrup­tion, and for mercy for such a sin, now awake out of thy secret worldlinesse; you went away and would not heare that, you have no leisure nor no time for that, but starve your poore soule, and the devill he hath one part of your time, and your lusts another; Is this honesty brethren? This is the man God e­steemes as an honest man, not a Protestant at large, that hath a good purse, and is good in his kinde, and will deale honestly with men, and pay them their due, and at their day, but he that will pay God and their soule their due too:Exod. 19.5. Exod. 19.5. If you will obey my voyce indeed and keepe my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me; If your debtors keepe day with you, you will trade with them rather then with any other man. Let it be so in your dealings with men, but remember that you do it with God. Think not to put off the Lord with faire speeches; Good words pay no debts, Brethren; we come here, and give the Minister hearing, and God a glosing; but we walke not according to Gods commandements. You give God good words, but you goe home, and are as unprofitable as vaine, and frothy, and idle, as ever you were. If one owe you money, and take this day, and that day, and promise it, and not pay it; you would not thinke well of this dealing; what may the Lord thinke of your hearts, when you have made so many promises to him, and had so many re­solutions to performe your part of the covenant to him, but have not yet kept promise with him? Good words are good in their kinde, God likes them well, [Page 25]as it is in Deut. 5.28, 29. This people have said well; Deut. 5.28. but these are not sufficient, we have enough of this sayes the Lord; O that there were such an heart in them, Vers. 19. to doe as they have said! There is the point Brethren. If we have a debtor that comes oft to us, and promiseth us payment, but keeps not day, we say, you give me good words, but I cannot pay debts so, and keepe my family so; Where is my money? So Brethren, you come and heare cheerefully, and pretend that you will doe that you heare? Ah, but give God his mo­ney; O that there were such an heart: Know what God cals for; Good money: will he be payd with counters and shews? No, but currant money of England, when the heart is changed, the soule turned, and the affe­ctions moved to what God cals for, and that is good, equall and righteous, and we desire with all our heart to performe it.

Brethren, when you are gotten home, call to minde what you have said this day, and this covenant: which you have entred into with the Lord, and say, ô Lord that I had such an heart: good words are well, but ô a heart, a heart Lord is that which thou re­quirest, and I would have; And it must be alwayes, and in all things, you must not picke and chuse, and say, I will not be a drunkard, yet be covetous: I won­der that you will not game, and be drunke, and yet gripe the poore; O that there were an heart to keepe the commandements of God alwayes;1 Sam. 13.14. Act. 13.22. This is an ho­nest man with God, a man after Gods own heart, a man of Gods minde as we may say. If ever there were a Saint, thou art: when the Lord sayes, O that they had such an heart, the heart answers and sayes, O Lord that I had such an heart; when the Lord sayes, [Page 26]O that thou wouldest keep all my commandements: O that I could, sayes the soule againe. This is up­right faire dealing indeed, currant money, your tongue and outward appearance is nothing, that stur­dy and peevish heart let it be humbled, and your un­toward and rebellious heart be brought into subje­ction:Tit. 2.9. And you servants, not answer your masters a­gaine; And you little ones be not sturdy against your parents, and disobedient unto their commands; Re­member the little ones that mocked Elisha. 2 King. 2. 23, 24. O but you will say, we cannot doe what we would. No, it is pitty you should, for then some of you would be without sin, which cannot be here. But doe you in­deavour to doe what you can, and are you humbled and grieved for that you cannot doe, and doe you strive towards perfection, and say with David, Thou hast commanded that I should keepe thy statutes; Psal. 119.4. O that I could Lord;Vers. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes. And doest labour to mend thy pace, because thou hast been slow, and art cast behind in the way to happinesse, and hast lost thy time? This is all God requires of thee. If one that is in debt to you, fall into decay, and come to you and say he is not able to pay you your money, but he desires you to goe to his house, and take whatsoever is there, that is worth any thing, to satisfie you; I appeale to your consciences, is he not an honest dealer? yes, you will not deny it, but you will pitty his case and say, the Lord may crosse any man, and you will be favourable unto him, because he shews an honest minde, in that he desires every man should have his own to the ut­most he can, either in money or in money worth. So brethren, observe what the soul wants in obedience, [Page 27]that it may plucke it out in repentance, that is the money worth, that when the poore sinner finds a dead heart, a sluggish indeavour, weaknesse in perform­ance, and he cannot doe as he should doe, yet what he wants in obedience, he fetcheth out in repentance, step but in at the entry doore, or under the wall, or under the window, and heare how he will breake his heart, bewaile his abominations, cry out of himselfe and say, though much means and grace have been of­fered me, yet good Lord this wretched world, that I should dote upon lying vanities, Jon. 2.8. so as to forsake mine own mercies; Good Lord, subdue this earthly minded­nesse; Good Lord take all away rather, then this should take my soule from thee and from happinesse.

O thus brethren, he labours to please the Lord, in sorrow and griefe, and mourning, for the short com­ings of his payment in obedience. He lays load upon himselfe in this case. This is an honest heart; this is very good pay, it is money or money worth, he is humbled, and ashamed, and confounded, because he cannot doe what he would; In this case he deals squarely, he is an honest Christian; An honest man, if he be cast backe in his estate, he will intreat Liber­tie of his creditors, and resolve and promise them too, that if ever God make him able his family shall not gaine by it, but he will pay them to the utmost farthing, so is it with an honest heart brethren.

I looke not that a man should not have temptati­ons, and corruptions, and that sometime prevailing over him, but this thou must have, and thus thou beg earnestly of the Lord, godly sorrow and griefe of heart for thy failings, and that he would recover thy Psal. 39.13.strength before thou goe from hence and be no [Page 28]more: Though thou loose this weeke, that thou maist gather it up the next weeke, worke so much the more, and the harder. The Lord be mercifull to us, where are those honest men to be found brethren, that desire to doe thus? Me thinke I heare you in your souls now saying, good Lord what will become of our towne, good Lord what will become of our neighbours? they talke of honesty, and this is hone­sty; but alas, their life agrees not to it. You com­plaine of trading in the world, almost no trust to be put in any, every man almost is turned banckrupt: I am sure brethren it is true in Religion; He that was a forward Christian a while agoe, is a drunkard now, or a gamester now; And he that was a forward Pro­fessour, and would goe to a Sermon foure or five mile in a morning, and come home againe, and to worke hard to get up the time againe; But now God hath given him a pretty estate in this world, he is turned a very muck-worme, become covetous, or a loose one; Though I doe not know you brethren, I am sure brethren, there are a number such abroad in this land, and I doubt not but you can point at such here in this congregation, and say, that is such a man, and that is such a man, he still seeks to hold in with his Minister and would faine be counted a Professour, but O there is no life, nor heart, nor power of godlinesse in him, he is grown starke cold since I knew him, the world hath a part of his heart, his pleasure another, his pro­fit another, idlenesse and ease another, he may even lay the key under the threshold, for any found Reli­gion and true grace indeed, he is quite downe the winde. But you will say, haply that I thinke too hardly of you: I know you not, I hope brethren there [Page 29]are many of you godly; the Lord increase your num­ber and his graces that are in you: but I am sure if you come to the ballance, you shall finde few that are sound and godly Christians indeed that will hold weight.

Let us search a little; Why, you will say, I hope we are honest men the most of us, we pay every man his due; It is well you doe so, but I will bring in a bill now brethren, which if you cannot prove to be cancelled, woe be to you.

This Doctrin casts out aboundance in all places,Vse. at this doore, and at that doore, and packs them out, and will leave poore thin congregations. We will scan the case a little brethren.

First, hence it is cleare, that the poore ignorant creature is gone, he is quite blown up if he so conti­nue, he knows nothing in this kinde, he knows not how to count twentie shillings, how shall he satisfie a debt of twentie pound? that is to say, brethren, they know not God, not understand the prayers that they make, they say the Lords Prayer, Lords Pray­er. and it is good to be used in its time, but doe you please God in so doing, when you understand not what you say? one sayes, Hallowed be thy Name; when he knows not what Gods name is, and what it is to hallow it. Another sayes, Thy Kingdome come, when he knows not what it is to have his kingdome come; You cannot count your money yet, you cannot discerne a six pence from a groat, that is to say brethren, you know not what it is to pray, and to heare the word, you know not what it is to take the Name of God reverently into your mouthes. And so some will call God Father, but they [Page 30]know not how he is their Father, nor how they come to be his children. These are gone, they are carnall, they have not pay, therefore certainly cannot pay the Lord his due.

2. There is another generation worse then these, and those are profane ones, that set themselves pro­fessedly to run to rerages with the Lord, scorne all means God hath appointed to bring in his debts by, they will be drunke, sweare, profane the Sabbath, scoffe at such as refraine their foot from evill. Isa. 59.15. Tell them God requires other things of them, & that they keep not touch with him, and he expects other things at their hands, and that they run in rerages with the Lord for his rent, and that he will arrest them, and confound them, if they doe not pay him his rent, for the time to come; They say they purpose no other payment then he hath already at their hands, but let God get his own as he can, they will take their own course still; Is there any such here brethren? There are too many such in the world, and I feare too, some among you, though you pretend faire, and say not so openly, yet you say so by your deeds brethren; for you will have this privy haunt, and that secret evill way, take this and that wicked course, you resolve of it, and will doe it, let the Lord get his own if he can. So he will I warrant you, Looke to it you that think to brave it with the Lord, when you are among your cups and companions, and to make your part good with him, to out-brave all judgements, and who shall arrest you; the Lord will plucke the cup out of thy hands and arrest thee with death, and a thousand de­vils shall lay hold on thee, and drag thee to hell to tor­ment [Page 31]thee for ever. God will have his rent one way or other. Thinke of it you that set your mouthes a­gainst heaven, and what hath the Minister to doe to speake against you, you will out face God, and Mini­ster and Gospell and all, and thinke to goe away scot-free. Looke to it, God will get his own, he will have it of thee, as he had it out of Iulian the Apostate. I will all edge but one place to you for this purpose, and that is Deut. 29.18. the Text sayes,Deut. 29.18. That if there be any root of bitternesse among them, vers. 19.Vers. 19. That when he heareth the curse of the Lord, shall yet blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, he shall escape and doe well enough for all that; The Text sayes,Vers. 20. That the wrath of the Lord shall smoake against that man, and he shall blot out his name from under heaven. Oh that this verse were im­printed upon the palme of the hand of every drun­kard, and every scoffer, and profane one, that walks after the stubbornnesse of his own heart, and addes drunkennesse to thirst, and yet you thinke to goe away with it, and so you may for a time, and these words breake no bones, and all this winde shakes no corne with you, you hope to goe to heaven as well as the best, you will drinke and whore and yet it shall go well with you in the end, and you are proud; and stout, and stubborn, and stiffe-necked against the Lord, and the voyce of his word, and yet you blesse your selves, and promise to your selves peace.

Marke what the God of Heaven saith,Vers. 20. The anger of the Lord shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this Booke, shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven. vers. 21.Vers. 21. And the Lord shall separate him unto evill out of all the [Page 32]Tribes of Israel: All the vengeance of the Almighty that ever was made knowne, shall light upon the head and heart of that drunkard, and that contemner of God, and the word of his Grace. He will separate you from the Tribes of Israel. You thinke to run away from your Countrey, and to flie from his Judgements, as some Bankerupts do escape from men, to run to Am­sterdam, and other places: No, the Lord will separate that man from all the Tribes of Israel; where ever he be, in France, Germany, Amsterdam, or where ever; he will separate him, and set the damned spirits on the backe of him, and say, Take hold of that man, and ex­ecute vengeance on him.

Brethren, you may think I deale something harsh­ly with you, but I deale for the best for you: Is it not better to heare of this now in time, then hereafter, when the Lord hath arrested you, and you are locked up in close prison for ever; you should thinke, Oh if such a denunciation had beene told me; if such an exhortation had beene wrought upon me; if such a man had pressed hard upon my conscience, with such and such things, I had never come here. Consider this, God will have it out of you, as he had it out of Iulian the Apostate, that had blasphemed Christ be­fore in the field, an arrow came from God and smote him that he died; and then he said, Thou hast over­come me, O thou Galilean. You that are mates in this kinde, goe home to your fellow drunkards, and to your fellow whoremasters, and scoffers, and those that side with you against God and goodnesse and such as are godly, and tell them, God will have his debt of them. Know it now to your humiliation, and [Page 33]amendment, lest you know it to your cost, when there will be no prevailing with the Lord for mercy. The Lord perswade your hearts that there is no way to escape, but by coming in and acknowledging your debt, and craving pardon though you cannot pay.

Thirdly, the close hearted Hypocrite,Vse 3. he comes here to be discarded; he thinkes his penny good sil­ver, & the world esteems of him as a sincere, honest, upright hearted man. Tell him that he keeps not Co­venant with the Lord, he takes it in great indignati­on. If any be here (as this Age begetteth a world of close hypocrites) understand and know, if you keep back some of the payment, have a secret haunt; doe as Ananias and Saphira did,Acts 5.2. that laid downe a part of the price, for which the possession was sold, and said,Vers. 8. It was all: Is here all, saith Peter to them? Yes, all, saith he; so when the Lord saith to you, Dost thou pray? Yes, Lord: And dost hate all sinne? Yes Lord, say you: Why dost lye to the Almighty?Vers. 3. Doe you not know a company of secret haunts, and back-dores that you have, to this lust, and that lust; and many secret corruptions you have; and yet come into the presence of the Lord, as if you were upright with the Lord, and there were no such matter. O ye hypo­crites, why hath Satan filled your hearts to lye to the Lord? Vers. 3. Doe you not know what Elisha said to Gehazi, 2 King. 5.20.21. when he ran after Naaman for a bribe, vers. 25. Where hast thou been, Gehazi? Thy servant hath been no where: Vers. 25. he thought to wash it away, and make it over so with a lye, vers. 26.Vers 26. Went not mine heart with thee (saith Elisha) when thou rannest after Naaman for a bribe? If any close hypocrite be in the Congregation, let him [Page 34]know, the Lord will finde him out; and will say to him, Whither went thy heart all this while? Where hast beene dodging? Was not my heart with thee, vers. 26. when thou wentest after such a secret haunt, and such a close lust? O but you will say, it is no such matter, you desire to be upright; I say, be so, brethren. The Lord goes with thee wither so ever thou goest, and he sees all thy Dalilahs, and Hero­diasses of pride, and selfe-love; he seeth how thou seekest to him in the pride of thy heart; and how thou professest to get a name, and to bold in with others. These are base abominations, cursed hypo­crisie: this is false-heartednesse before God, and shall be plagued by God at the day of account. There is not an honest woman, that hath but one other man besides her husband. He is not an honest man that will not pay one bond of tenne, or many. A penny is due as well as a pound. My hand is on your heart, bre­thren, for I feare many of you have some one back­dore which you meane to keepe; and you will be proud or covetous a little; or uncleane onely, and all the rest of that Covenant ye are content to keepe: Is this honest, to scrape out what you please, and leave what you please still? there is no honestie in this, brethren; But you will say, Who can lay any thing to my charge? I say, thou art a Covenant-breaker, and the Lord could never get his owne of thee yet: Well, yet thou wilt put it off, as Saul did, when Samuel came to meet him, as he returned from slaying the Amalekites; 1 Sam. 15.13. Come thou blessed of the Lord. But what said Samuel to him?Vers. 14. Ah, saies he, vers. 14. What meanes the bleating of the sheepe, and the lowing of [Page 35]the Oxen? So you say, you make conscience of all the Commandements of the Lord; But what meane these secret corners and haunts? I mean those which conscience and God heare of, not what I heare of; for I know nothing but by them: What meane all these secret conveyances, that you have to make a­way, and hide your lusts with, that you may live in them and not be knowne so to doe? What meanes your drunkennesse in a corner; your adultery in a corner; your hypocrisie, and covetousnesse; luke­warmenesse, and coldnesse; carelesnesse, and earth­ly mindednesse?

Yet men will not be out-faced, they will beare a man downe still, that it is so. Then I have no other way but this with you; looke what a man doth by a debtor, that saith the debt is paid, and will face him downe that it is so; yet the Booke is not crossed: What will this Creditor do now? Why then, to your Bookes he goes, and cals in the servant, that takes in the reckonings, and saith, Doe you remember it? No, saith the servant, you gave me good words di­vers times, when I called on you for it, but no money was paid: why then I never had it. So brethren, you say, that you are holy; we will call for the Bookes, and for Conscience, Gods Auditor, and the keeper of his accounts, and aske that; Whether you make conscience of private prayer, and humbling your soul in secret? Whether you make conscience of your stubbornesse to your husband; of your peevishnesse and untowardnesse? Whether you be a Covenant-keeper, and whether you did ever performe that God hath required of you; he hath required much [Page 36]of you, that you should pray, read, be sober, humble, neeke, dutifull to your husband. But you have been right, froward, undutifull, way-ward; why, did you pay this debt to the Lord then?

The conscience will say, No Lord; I urged him to it, and said, Now get aloneIsa, 26.16. and powre out a prayer to the Lord; now goe and read, and medi­tate on the word of God; and I told him, Lord, when he began to be so eager of the world, now you will be covetous, and worldly; but he would not heare me; he promised me, Lord, he would leave it, and would doe so no more; and he would take up this duty and that duty; and put me off this time, and an­other time, but he never did it. Then you see the case cleere, for you never kept day; you have a shew of godlinesse,2 Tim. 3.5. but where is the power of it? The power is to subdue inward lusts, secret corruptions, base thoughts that rise in the minde. This is not to be found in the most; therefore they are but Hy­pocrites and false hearted. At last when the case is so cleare by the Booke of the servant, this bad debt­tor doth confesse it, and saith, It was a hard time, and it was but little, if you had had it, I thought it could doe you no great good, I hoped you would have bor­rowed it, if you had had any great need of it. So ma­ny a crused hypocrite confesses the conversation is good, and the course is holy which he should take, and which God requires of him; but I feared the losse of my libertie, of my ease, or my honor, and credite, if I had done it. I feared I should have suffer­ed for it, and it was but this, I hope it was not such a matter. Is this honestie, when God and the Gospel, [Page 37]call for truth, and for sinceritie, you put off and say, This is no great matte, you hope; there are worse matters then so in the world. Thou art no upright, God will have the utmost farthing;Mat. 5.26. there is truth in a penny. He that will not suffer in one kinde, I will never beleeve he will suffer in another. But you will say, What if a man be covetous, he hurts none; it is his owne that he holds so fast; he is but close fisted a little, I hope this is not such a matter? This is a great sinne brethren, in such a place as this is; what, not keepe touch here? that mans sinne that lives under the Gospel, is the greatest sin of all; of more weight then the sinnes of any besides: and therefore looke to it brethren. If a man forfeit a Bond of twenty pound, or forty pound, perhaps he may recover it; but if of forty thousand pound, we say it will crush the greatest Merchant in the Land, and breake his back. An hypocrite, a false-hearted one in the place where the Gospel is; it is a heinous foule sinne, it will sinke him deepe: A drunkard where the Gospel is not, and an adulterer where the Gospel is not, shall goe to hell; they shall all perish without repentance. But he that lives under the means, ye is covetous, loose, proud, vaine, oppressing, and griping of his poore brethren; worldly, or the like; that Bond will break thy backe, it is an hundred thousand pound Bond. Take heede, brethren, a man that runs in arerages with the Lord here, it will be heavy for him.Mat. 11.23. And thou Capernaum, which wert lifted up to heaven, shalt be cast downe to hell. Some live at great rents. A Ded­ham man, God will not have him have a stomacke onely to a good duty, and now and then to pray, or [Page 38]to reade, or conferre; but he requires great debts of him: A Dedham drunkard, or hypocrite, carelesse carnall Gospeller, or covetous one; the devils will rejoyce for him; when he comes to hell; they will make Bonefires, and make it holiday for him, stand upon their tiptoes to look on him, and say, What, are you come hither after all Prayers, and Sermons, and Sacraments, and Admonitions; and so many labors of Gods servants, that have worne out their lives to keepe you from hence?

This Bond will breake your backe brethren, an hundred thousand millions worth of exhortations you have had, and you owe the Lord for them all stil; you have paid him nothing for them yet; you are not one whit the better for them: What shall be­come of you? the Lord will set a thousand devils to torment you, when you drop into the pit: specially ancient men, woe to your soules, if once God lay hold of you: If a man that is in debt, for I know not how many Bonds, be arrested but upon one, it will cast him into prison; but then if after that comes another, and another, in upon him, it will goe very hard with him. He plaid fast and loose, and faire, and farre off all this while; but now one hath clapt a Writ upon his backe, comes another and arrests him for an hundred pound at such a mans suite; and an­other arrests him for an hundred pound at such a mans suite. O thinke of this, your reckonings will be fear­full when God casts you on your sicke bed, and death comes to fetch away your soules, and you are going to the chaines of darknesse; then there will come in one Bond after another, upon you; one inditement [Page 39]after another against you: Item, for the sinnes of your youth; your disobedience and stubbornesse to Parents, and Governours, when a childe: Item, for following your profits, and pleasures, and minding nothing else, when you were a young man: Item, for your worldlinesse since you were an old man. One Bond after another the Lord will lay upon you. You would thinke such a man that hath so many Bonds come upon him, in a hard case; quite undone; and that there is no recovery for him out of prison, but there he must lie till some part of him rot off, per­haps, and till he die in the Jayle: O how you would pitie such a mans case, and how you would be grie­ved for him! But O brethren, you that are husbands, or wives, or parents, when you see your children, or your husbands arrested by God; not to goe to an earthly Jayle, but to goe to hell for ever! O how should it grieve your soules for such a one! how should you pitie such, and desire the Lord, while there is helpe and hope, to shew mercy upon them!

Thus you see these three sorts are cashiered for not being sound; and the Lord be mercifull unto us,Vse 1. what a few are there besides these? Thinke of this, cary it home with you, and examining your selves, know the Lord will have sinceritie from you.

Secondly, it is a word of consolation;Ʋse 2. this is a marvellous comfort to those that love and feare the Lord: all you whose hearts answer, It is thus with you, lift up your heads with joy, for this will uphold you, and make youLuk. 21.28. lift up your heads with comfort in all your troubles, and in the day of the Lord, When [Page 40]your redemption draweth nigh, Isa. 3.10. Isa. 3.10. say, It shall goe well with the godly. I say to that man, what ever come, it shall goe well with him. We use to say, without doubt, without danger. A man that owes nothing, he cares not for any Pursevant, or Sergeant, or Baily; he feares them not, for he knowes they have nothing to doe with him: This is a marvellous comfort to him; so it ought to be to a sincere heart, that hath paid his debt to God, when trouble seises upon him: you know what Hezekiah said,2 King. 20.3. Good Lord remember, how I have walked before thee with an upright heart. Isa. 38.3. If a man be arrested upon a false ground, the Law will baile him; there is no Law against him: Thinke of that brethren,Gal. 5.21. Galat. 5.22. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, Vers. 23. meekenesse, temperance; against such there is no Law. There is no Law to punish or condemne them, or accuse them. Therefore blessed are your soules, that are sincere and upright in heart & conversation alwaies, to all Gods Commandements; in publique, in private; in ordinarie times, and extraordinarie; there is no law against you: whatsoever Satan, or the world say against you, there is no law in the Booke of God to condemne you.Psal. 119.6. Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandements. In the times of all dangers, and of all miseries, which are like to seise upon us soone, if the Land should be over-run, and friends and means faile, here is comfort to every faithfull soule, Psal. 103.15. All flesh is grasse, Psal. 103.15. the winde passeth over it, Vers. 16. and it is gone. Vers. 17. ver. 17. but the loving kindnesse of the Lord [Page 41]endures for ever, and ever. Upon whom, brethren? Vpon them that feare him, and thinke upon his covenants, to doe them. Marke how he sustaines himselfe, life goe, friends goe, meanes goe; all flesh is grasse, Vers. 15. the winde passeth over it, and it is gone; meanes are gone, how then, brethren? vers. 17.Vers. 17. But the goodnesse of the Lord endures for ever and ever. Though Libertie be gone, the Spirit of the Lord endures; though means be gone, the mercy of God endures;Psal. 136. all. though friends be gone, the favour of the Lord endures: The loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever; Upon whom? upon them that feare him, and thinke upon his Covenants to doe them. Though a poore soule fare meanly, and live hardly; all helps gone, the Winde hath passed over them; and libertie is gone; honour is gone; life is going; nothing endures: yet lift up thy soule in sicknesse, and say, My health is gone; my strength is gone; my life is going; but the loving kindnesse of the Lord endures for ever, Vers. 18. upon every soule that keepes his Commandements, and thinks upon his Covenants to doe them.

Lastly, for a word of exhortation;Vse 4. Is the Com­mandement of God his Covenant; and is the keep­ing of that, the way to obtaine mercy and happinesse here, and for ever? then goe away if you will, and be dishonest still, and breake Covenant with the Lord. The very name of dishonestie, me thinks, should move you, brethren, to be faithfull in your Cove­nant, and to set on speedily, and to be exceeding watchfull, and carefull; and to performe what you have promised to the Lord. Reason should move [Page 42]you; What, not keepe Covenant, especially with the Lord? What, shall we make promises to the Lord, and enter into Covenant with him, and not keep it? Let it for shame never be said of us, brethren. Marke what David saith,Psal. 119 11. I have hid thy Commandements in my heart, that I might not sinne against thee. His minde ran of them, and his tongue talked of them conti­nually. Amongst men, brethren, you would not have your credit cracked for any thing; and you doe ho­nestly. A good name is a Jewell. But doe thus with the Lord, brethren; Hath not the Lord kept touch with you, in all his promises? Did you ever beg any thing of him, and he not heare you? Why doe you not keepe touch with the Lord? Shame your selves for this, I beseech you. Men in the world, if they breake in their estates, they have this love and hu­manitie in them, that if any lose, then it shall be they that did deale most hardly with them; and that got most by them when they were in trading; but this kinde friend, that was kinde to him, and lent him monie sometime in his need, he shall not lose a penny by him: O, saith he, I had a friend of him, I could never come to him, but he would receive me. This is honestie, and faire, and equall: O consider of this, brethren; we have hard bargains at the hands of the world, and of the devill, and sinne; many knocks of soule, and girds of conscience with them: But the Lord hath beene ever gracious, mercifull, loving, and kinde to us: resolve therefore that the Lord shall never lose by you; let the world lose if it will; and let carnall friends, and sinne, and Satan lose if they [Page 43]will: Let not the Lord lose; but resolve, what ever becomes of it; I will pray constantly, and reade in my family morning and evening; and upon every occasion, and reforme my waies. It is not needfull that I should be rich; it is that I be sincere, and faith­full to the Lord: I will labour for a good conscience, and endevour to walke with God.