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only in terrors of conscience. They throw out their sins, as a merchant at sea his rich commodities in a tempest, but in a calm wish for them again. Neither do they throw away the property over them, but only the dangerous possession of them. This is not a full, cheerful, and voluntary action, but only a languid and inconstant velleity, contrary to that largeness of heart, and fixed disposition which Christ's own people bring unto his service; as David and the nobles of Israel "offered willingly, and with joy unto the Lord."

SECT. 14. Since a covenant presupposeth a power in him that maketh it, both over his own will, and over the matter, thing, or action which he promiseth, so far as to be enabled to make the promise: and since we of ourselves have neither will nor deed, no sufficiency either to think or to perform"; we hence learn in all the covenants which we make, not to do it in any confidence of our own strength, or upon any selfdependence on our own hearts, which are false and deceitful, and may, after a confident undertaking, use us as Peter's used him; but still to have our eyes on the aid and help of God's grace, to use our covenants as means the better to stir up God's graces in us, and our prayer unto him for further supplies of it. As David, "I will keep thy statutes;" but then, "do not thou forsake me i." Our promises of duty must ever be supported by God's promises of grace, when we have undertaken to serve him. We must remember to pray as Hezekiah did, "Lord, I am weak, do thou undertake for me." Our good works cannot come out of us, till God do first of all" work them in us." He must perform his promises of grace to us, before we can ours of service unto him. Nothing of ours can go to heaven, except we first receive it from heaven. We are able to "do nothing, but in and by Christ which strengtheneth us." So that every religious covenant which he makes, hath indeed a double obligation in it"; an obligation to the duty promised, that we may stir up ourselves to perform it; and an obliga

1 Chron. xxix. 17. h Rom. vii. 18. 2 Cor. iii. 5. Phil. ii. 12. 1 Psalm cxix. 8. k Isai. xxxviii. 14. Isai. xxvi. 12. m John xv. 5. Phil.

iv. 13. n Quid tam congruum fidei humanæ, quam ea quæ inter eos placuerunt, servare? Ulpian L. 1. ff. de pactis.-Obligatio est juris vinculum, quo necessitate restringimur alicujus solvendæ rei: Instit. 1. 3. T. 14.-Vid. Gregorium Tholos. Repub. 1. 8. c. 8.

tion unto prayer, and recourse to God, that he would furnish us with grace to perform it :-as he that hath bound himself to pay a debt, and hath no money of his own to do it, is constrained to betake himself unto supplications, that he may procure the money of some other friend.

Lastly, The final cause of a covenant is to induce an obligation, where was none before; or else to double and strengthen it, where was one before, to be vinculum conservandæ fidei,' a bond to preserve truth and fidelity. Being subject unto many temptations, and having backsliding and revolting hearts, apt, if they be not kept up to service, to draw back from it; therefore we use ourselves, as men do cowardly soldiers, set them there where they must fight, and shall not be able to run away, or fall off from service. III. This should serve to humble us upon a twofold consideration :

SECT. 15. 1. For the falseness and unsteadfastness of our hearts, which want such covenants to bind them, and, as it were, fasten them to the altar with cords :—as men put locks and fetters upon wild horses, whom otherwise no inclosure would shut in. Our hearts (as Jacob said of Reuben °) are "unstable waters." Moist bodies (as water is) "non continentur suis terminis "," do not set bounds to themselves, as solid and compacted bodies do, but shed all abroad, if left to themselves: the way to keep them united and together, is to put them into a close vessel :-so the heart of man can set itself no bounds, but falls all asunder, and out of frame, eis áváxuow, as the apostle's expression is, (1 Pet. iv. 4)" instar aquæ diffluentis," (Heb. xii. 1.) if it be not fastened and bound together by such strong resolutions. Sometimes men, either by the power of the Word, or by the sharpness of some afflictions, are quickened and inflamed unto pious purposes; like green wood, which blazeth, while the bellows are blow

o Gen. xlix. 4. ν Ὑγρὸν τὸ ἀόριστον οἰκείῳ ὅρα. Aristot. de Gener. et Corrupt. 1. c. 2.-Hinc qui vitam agunt mollem, remissam, voluptuariam, in hanc et illam partem fexilem, dicuntur Βίον ζῇν τὸν ὑγρὸν καὶ διαῤῥέοντα, Chrys. Rom. xiii. 14. et Suida ὑγρὸς dicitur ὁ εὐκατάφορος εἰς τὰς ἡδονάς. Ejus animum, qui nunc luxuria et lascivia diffluit, retundam: Terent. Heauton.— Messalina, facilitate adulterorum in fastidium versa, ad incognitas libidines profluebat: Tacit. Annal. 1. 11.-Eruptiones lascivitatum, Tert. Apol. c. 31.-The Scripture calleth it, "Weakness of heart," Ezek. xvi. 30.-and so the Philosopher, Ακρασίας τὸ μὲν προπέτεια, τὸ δὲ ἀσθένεια, Ethic. 1. 7, 8. Zell. p. 318.

ing and now they think they have their hearts sure, and shall continue them in a good frame; to-morrow shall be as this day-but presently, like an instrument in change of weather, they are out of tune again; and, like the chameleon, presently change colour; and, as Chrysostom saith, the preacher, of all workmen, seldom finds his work as he left it. Nothing but the grace of God doth balance and establish the heart: and holy covenants are an ordinance or means which he hath pleased to sanctify unto this purpose, that by them, as instruments, grace, as the principal cause, might keep the heart steadfast in duty. If then Isaiah bewail the uncleanness of his lips, and Job suspected the uncleanness and wandering of his eyes, what reason have we to be humbled for this unsteadfastness of our hearts, from whence the diffluence and looseness of every other faculty proceeds!

2. If we must bewail the falseness of our hearts, that stand in need of covenants; how much more should we bewail their perfidiousness in the violation of covenants: that they take occasion, even by restraint, like a river that is stopped in its course, to grow more unruly or as a man after an ague, which took away his stomach, to return with stronger appetite unto sin again. To crucify our sins, and in repentance to 'put them,' as it were, to shame,' and then to take them down from the cross again, and fetch them to life, and repent of repentance ;-to vow, and "after vows to make enquiry;" this is very ill requital unto Christ. He came from glory to suffer for us; and here met with many discouragements, not only from enemies, but from friends and disciples: Judas betrays him; Peter denies him; his disciples sleep; his kinsfolk stand afar off; yet he doth not look back from a cross to a crown: and though he be tempted to 'come down' from the cross, yet he stays it out, that he might love and save us to the uttermost.' But we, no sooner out of Egypt and Sodom, but we have hankering affections to return,-at the least, to look backwards again : engage ourselves to be ruled by the Word of the Lord, as

† Ὁ μὲν ἀργυροκόπος οἷον ἂν χαλκεύσῃ τὸ σκεῦος καὶ ἀπόθηται, τοιοῦτον ἐλθὼν τῇ ἐπιούσῃ πάλιν εὑρήσει· ἐπὶ δὲ ἡμων οὐχ οὕτως, &c. Homil. 13. ad Pop. Antioch. r Spumeus, et fervens, et ab obice sævior ibit. Ovid.-Senec. Nat. Quæst. 1. 6. c. 17. • Prov. xx. 25. R

VOL. III.

the Jews did; and with them ", when we know his Word, cavil against it, and shrink away from our own resolutions. O how should this humble us, and make us vile in our own eyes! God is exceeding angry with the breach of but human covenants *; how much more with the breach of holy covenants between himself and us!-and threateneth severely to revenge the quarrel of his covenant and so doubtless he now doth, and will do still, except we take a penitent revenge upon ourselves for it. And therefore,

Lastly, having entered into covenant, we should use double diligence in our performance of it; quickening and stirring up ourselves thereunto,—

1. By the consideration of the stability of his covenant with us, even "the sure mercies of David "." To break faith with a false person, were a fault; but to deceive him that never fails nor forsakes us, increaseth both the guilt and the unkindness.

2. By consideration of his continued and renewed mercies. If he were a wilderness unto us, there might be some colour to repent us of our bargain, and to look out for a better service. But it is not only unthankfulness, but folly, to make a forfeiture of mercies, and to put God, by our breach of covenant with him, to break his with us too".

3. By consideration of our baptism, and the tenor thereof, wherein we solemnly promise to keep a good conscience, and to observe all things whatsoever Christ commandeth us o. From which engagement we cannot recede, without the note and infamy of greater perfidiousness. To take Christ's pay, and to do sin service; to be a subject unto Michael, and a pensioner unto the dragon; to wear the livery of one master, and to do the work of another; to be an Israelite in title, and a Samaritan in truth;-this is either to forget or deride our baptism: for therein we did, as it were, subscribe our name, and list ourselves in the register of

t Jer. xlii. 5, 6.

xxviii. 19, 20.

u Jer. xliii. 2.

x Jer. xxxiv. 18. Ezek. xvii. 18.

y Levit. vi. 25. 2 Isai. liv. 8, 9. lv. 3. a Vid. Chrys. in p. 113. b Jer. ii. 5, 6, 7, 31. Numb. xiv. 34. Jon. ii. 8. c 1 Pet. iii. 21. Matth. d In fœderibus eosdem amicos atque inimicos habere solent foederati; quod ex Cicerone et Livio observavit Briss. de formul. 1. 4.-Quis miles ab infœderatis, ne dicam ab hostibus, regibus donativum et stipendium captat, nisi plane desertor et transfuga? Tert. de Præscript. c. 12.-Bern. Serm. 3. de Evang. septem panum.

• 2 Pet. i. 9.

Sion and as it is a high honour to be enrolled in the genealogies of the church, so it is a great dishonour to be expunged from thence, and to be written in the earth, and have our names, with our bodies, putrefy in perpetual oblivion f

g

4. Consider the seal and witnesses, whereby this covenant hath been confirmed. Sealed in our own consciences by the seal of faith, believing the holiness of God's ways, and the excellency of his rewards; for, "he that believeth, hath set to his seal ;"-mutually attested by our spirits, feeling the sweetness of duty, and by God's Spirit", revealing the certainty of reward: and this in the presence of angels and saints, into whose communion we are admitted *. So that we cannot depart from this covenant, without shaming ourselves to God, to angels, to men, and to our own consciences. Yea, the font where we were baptized, and the table where we have sacramentally eaten and drank the body and blood of Christ,—and the very seats where we have sat attending unto his voice, like Joshua's stone', will be witnesses against us, if we deny our covenant :—though there be no need of witnesses against those, who have to deal with the Searcher of hearts, and the Judge of consciences; that consuming fire, whom no lead, no dross, no reprobate silver, no false metal, can endure or deceive; no Ananias or Sapphira lie unto, without their own undoing.

Lastly, Let us consider the estate which these covenants do refer unto, and our tenure whereunto these services are annexed, which is "eternal life." After we have had patience to keep our short promises of doing God's will, he will perform his eternal promises of giving himself unto us. And who would forfeit an inheritance, for not payment of a small homage or quit-rent reserved upon it? If we expect eternal life from him, there is great reason we should dedicate a mortal life unto him. Let us not pay our service in dross, when we expect our wages in gold.

g John iii. 33.

h Vid. Bern.

f Jer. xvii. 13. Nehem. vi. 64, 65. Serm. 1. in Annunc. Mariæ, et Ser. 2. de tribus testimoniis, et Ser. 2. in die Pent.Ser. 2. in festiv. Omnium Sanct.-Ser. 5. in dedic. Eccl.-Ser. de quatuor modis orandi. Ser. 8, 23. et 85. in Cant. de Natur. et Dignit. Divini Amoris, c. 11.— Vid. etiam Michaelis Medina Apolog. pro Joanne Fero adversus Dom. Soto criminationes, apud Sixt. Senensem, Biblioth. 1. 6. Annot. 210. i Rom. i. 16. 1 Cor. xi. 10. Heb. xii. 22. 1 Josh. xxii. 24, 27.

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