persons make exceptions, in words or in their hearts, to the terms of the covenant, not renouncing all sin, and not determining to perform all known duties, they do not enter into covenant at all. They can lay no claim to covenant privileges. Nor can there be any such thing as keeping covenant with God, without a conscientious avoiding of all known sin, and the performance of all known duties. The terms of the covenant are universal obedience. Those who only call Christ Lord, while they neglect to do the things which he hath commanded them, can never enter into the kingdom of heaven. While men are not conscientious in the pers formance of all known duties, whether they respect God, their neighbour, or themselves, whether they be secret, private, or public, all their expectations of enjoying the blessings of the covenant are delusive. They are but foolish virgins. When they shall say unto Christ, Lord, Lord, open unto us, he will tell them, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

IV. How great and awful is the guilt, and how dreadful will be the consequences of dealing falsely in God's covenant! Lying, perjury, and covenant breaking, are great crimes, when committed against men; but much

greater still, when committed against God. The more directly sin is committed against God, his perfections and glory, the more hei, nous it is. The apostle Peter therefore represents the sin of Ananias as exceedingly aggravated on this account, that he had not lied unto men, but unto God. (Acts v. 4.) This is the case with all those who covenant with him in hypocrisy and deceit; and who take no proper care to keep covenant with him. They swear falsely to their Maker. In his awful presence, before angels and men, they call him to witness the truth and sincerity of their vows, when they are made without a conscientious regard to either. What solemn perjury is this! What a presumptuous profanation is it of that great and fearful name, the Lord our God, and of his holy ordinance! What trifling is it with him, and with the momentous concerns of eternity!

Further, for professors, after the most solemn engagements, to take no conscientious heed to walk with God, is presumptuous and abominable wickedness. It involves in it not only the grossest hypocrisy, and falsehood, but it is rebellion against the most express and positive commands relative to their keeping covenant with him, and paying their

C

Vows. It is written, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore. (Gen. xvii. 9.) Keep therefore the words of this covenant and do them. (Deut. xxix. 9.) When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it for God hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it, that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow, and not pay. Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? (Eccles. v. 4, 5, 6.) The guilt of false professors is increased and aggravated, in as much as defiled with all this hypocrisy, deceit, covenant breaking, and rebellion against the most express commands of God, they come to the Lord's table, from month to month, and year to year, and eat and drink unworthily, and are guilty of the body and blood of Christ. As it were at the foot of the cross, in full view of the love and dying agonies of the Saviour, while he is evidently set forth as crucified before their eyes, they still act the same presumptuously wicked part, sealing their covenant vows in hypocrisy and deceit. How often do they crucify the Son of God afresh, and tread him under foot? What guilt can be compared unto this, except that of Judas in betraying his Lord?

Will not the consequences be dreadful to them, as they were to him? Will they not go with him to their own place? Will not their punishment be equal to their enormous wickedness? Shall not the congregation of hypocrites be desolate? (Job xv. 34.) Shall not their hope be as the giving up of the ghost? Is not Christ's fan in his hand? Will he not thoroughly purge his floor, gather the wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire? (Matt. iii. 12.) Will it not be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for those who have thus violated the covenant of their God?

V. This paper not only administers solemn reproof to covenant breakers in general, but particularly to persons of this character of various descriptions.

Some there are, who, notwithstanding their solemn covenant with God and their brethren, will, for some private pique against their pastor, or against some particular brother or sister, entirely withdraw themselves from their communion. Though their brethren can discover no just occasion for it, and use all pacific and prudent measures to reclaim them, yet they obstinately persist in with

drawing themselves both from their communion and worship. They join themselves to no other church, and for many years, even to their dying day, neglect to honour Christ in the sacrament of his holy supper. They will not hear their brethren of the church, will not submit themselves to them, as Christ has commanded, and as they had covenanted: will not even worship with them, nor do the least thing to maintain the worship and ordinances of God among them, which they had expressly bound themselves by covenant to do. Have not such persons broken covenant with God and their brethren? Do they not persist in their wickedness? Are they not going to judgment laden with gross and inexcusable iniquity? With hypocrisy, breach of covenant, malevolence, and self-will? Is not this really the case with all those who withdraw themselves from their brethren and the divine ordinances, for some private offence or fault in their brethren, which others cannot discover? Even supposing some brother hath been faulty, can this be a warrant for them to violate their covenant, and forsake the ordinances of Christ? Certainly it

cannot.

Others there are, who are found guilty of