The solemn LEAGUE AND COVENANT OF Three Kingdoms, Cleared to the Conscience of Every man, who is not willingly Blind, or wilfully obstinate. The Antiquity of the Covenant on the Scots-side; The seasonableness of it on the English side; The Admirable Wisdom of GOD, in stirring-up the spirits of men on all sides, at such a time as this; All this with other things mightily conducing to, and promoting of the Militia of Kingdoms, and the Posturing every Person there, is referred to a place, where it may take up more room. The clearness for the Matter of this Covenant; The solemnity for the Manner of it, is the subject of these few Leaves, and yet to be made more clear to them that have a mind to understand. Bianca E W. Neh. 9 38. And because of all this, we make a sure Covenant and Writ it, and our Princes, Levites and Priests, seal unto it. Eze. 20. 37, 38. I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant: And I will purge out from among you the Rebels Imprimatur EDM: CALAMY, the morrow after we liftedup our Hands, and Subscribed our Names to this Covenant, Octob. 2. 1643. LONDON, Printed for Christopher Meredith, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the Crane. 1643. To the Reader. I Will take leave to set down my Comment upon the clearest Text, that ever was seen in the world, except one, the most Sacred Text. What need a Comment then? I will Answer with his Question, Who came down to see, how it fared with his Brethren, when Goliath was Master of the field; Is there not a cause? We have 1 Sam. 17. 29. Herds and Droves of Beast-like-Men, for Doctors (Teachers of lies) are their Leaders, whose * It relates to Pastors or people, for they are equally brutish, Pastors rather. tender consciences scruple very much at this Covenant, as always they have done; They cannot lift-up their Hands, or Subscribe their Names thereto; but to lift-up their eyes and hearts unto lying vanities, that they can do; That cursed Liberty for Sports on the Lord's Day, that they could approve; Edification of Altars, bowing before them, and serving of Images, even all this also, and more than all this; They could foment and put-on a Bloody War against their Brethren, this they could do, and no regret of Conscience at all this; but this entering into Covenant, there they strain. Unreasonable men! These have not Faith. Faith! nor Reason neither, nor any more Sense than a Beast has to feel where it pincheth, and to taste their Pasture, where it is sweetest; They grope at midday, blind with Light; Now show them the Sun in your hand, as the Proverb is, they say they do not see it; though Gods-Hand be liftedup before all Israel, and before the Sun, they will not see; and though his people hand be now liftedup to GOD, yet these will not see, no not now, nor will they yet understand. O ye brutish men! When will ye understand? When will ye show yourselves men? For GOD'S sake, for your Soul's sake, your own, and the Souls committed to your charge, consider; Ye must see, ye must understand whether ye will or no: That ye may do both seasonably, look into the Covenant again, see, what is it you quarrel with, or take offence at there? Ye are not resolved in some Cases of Conscience; Have patience, I'll resolve you anon, according to Truth: In the mean time you will remember, I hope, whose Proctors ye are, and be confounded, because of your shame. When man commanded you a bloody work, and abominable Services, how did you gird-up your loins, and stir-up yourselves, and People by exhortations and prayers! Now GOD and His people cals-upon you to join with them in Covenant, and now you draw back! Object. Yes, and good Reason, for when we did stir-up our good people to a War with Scotland, than we were for the King, and for Religion, [the Service-Book, for all their Religion is there] now entering into Covenant, woe shall go against the King, etc. Answ. Much might be spoken in a fools Ear, and to little purpose; I will only say this, L●t these men make Conscience in point of fear (it contains the whole worship) to their GOD: and then we will trust them in point of Honour to their King; Let them cease from fight against GOD, by lying vanities, than we shall think them conscientious men, and loyal to our Prince; In the mean time, doing as they do, such things, and taking pleasure in them, who do the same things, which do provoke the Lord to his Fate, we must account th●se men, as they are, most corrupt in their lives, and so in their Doctrines, and drawing-back unto Perdition; Take heed, we know the word, It is utter Destruction, a perishing for ever. One word to thee Reader, whom I take to be an honest man; Ignorant enough, but thy ignorance troubles thee, it is thy heart's grief; Thou art willing to understand, and thou livest-upright according to thy knowledge: This to thee; I said before, that this is a very clear Covenant; indeed it is, the clearest that ever man Penned here below; The Finger of GOD is in it too; by help of That Hand, which wrote th● Ten Words at first, this was Indicted and Written, sure enough, for truly it is as the good Word of GOD; Consider we, as follows, Cursed is he That does not fulfil all therein contained, with full purpose of heart, and endeavour according to his light and power; And yet so good and clear though it be, even as is the Work and Word of GOD, yet many there are, as thou seest and hearest, Doctors and Masters in Israel, who do fault it. Be not offended at that; My little reading tells me of one, who found fault with all the Works of GOD, His whole Creation; This might have been mended, and so might that; here and there it might have been better than it is; Though GOD said of every thing he had mad●, It (was) very good; Now thou hearest, That GOD Gen. 1. 31. has heard the Works of his Fingers blamed, and was patiented the while; And I protest unto thee, That I could name the Man, who said, The Word of GOD, His Text, was seditious. Do not thou regard what brutish men say, whose guts are in their head, and brains in their belly, mind earthly things; regard them not, but attend with all diligence▪ To what thou and I have liftedup our hands, and Subscribed our Names; This follows, not always in the same words; for my Work is Explication, (i. e.) To clear the Text. Of A solemn League and Covenant, explained and cleared to the Conscience of every man, that is not willingly blind, nor wilfully obstinate. THough I intent a continued Explication, yet I cannot think of a more orderly beginning, than with a short Dialogue, so to debate a few matters one with the other first. A. Your prime care is for the Scots, the preservation of their Religion and Discipline. B. Yes, and great reason it should be so, for their care towards us exceeds ours towards ourselves. A. You swear to maintain the Discipline of Scotland, a bold Oath! not one of ten amongst you, that understands what he swears. B. Indeed our light is not clear at that point, nor theirs neither, not so clear as it shall be; yet, without doubt, I shall clear that objection fully in due place: much must be said to it, which shall not interpose now. A. But what need you think so much of defence, and managing a war? you may have a Peace, and at an easy rate, if you can see the way unto it, and Petition thereafter; the Irish may have it, nay, we hear it is granted them; and, doubtless, if ye are modest and bashful, some there are who will intercede for you, touching this matter. Besides, there are men amongst yourselves very many, who have been importunate Petitioners for Peace, as their Wives were the eighth of August last, and will put on for it again. B. Here are some State-matters, let Statesmen look thereunto: These are within compass of our knowledge, and Eternal Truths. 1. That an Irish Peace is worse than an Irish War, and then we want a word to express how abominable it is. 2. That cursing and blessing cannot come forth of the same Mouth. 3. Nor was it ever seen in our Land, since men dwelled there, that the Idol and Peace, (except an Idol-Peace) came in from the same Quarters. 4. Let then talk what they will of their Peace, GOD has sworn, and his people too, That he will have war with them, avenge upon them the Blood of His Servants, cast them down, and lay them lower than the earth, who have endeavoured to lay His Glory in the dust, and to dethrone the Lord Jesus Christ. And for the other Petitioners, with their commanding wives, they will come too late now, we have covenanted against them, their Atheism, Superstition, profaneness, and to throw these all out; so also against the evil of our own lives, every man confessing the Plague of his own heart, and resolving in God's strength, to search his own tents, and to cast out the accursed thing thence; and then to walk in the midst of his house, as a man whose Vows are upon him; God's people as His people; God's Minister, as His Minister, showing forth the Doctrine that it is from Heaven, by the light of his conversation before men; for the Covenant ends, as we shall see anon, in a personal Reformation. A. Then Peace comes in now, a Peace of Gods giving, according to your own hearts desire; what needs then such preparation for War, and Vows to defend each others things? B. The greatest need now, because of the Agony or fight of afflictions, we now expect, and will be: We are but in a way to Peace, pursuing it orderly, as we read before, every man resolving for his own part, to reform one, and to contend for the Faith: But Peace, I mean a peace of Gods giving, (we abominate any other) so abused, so perverted, so ill improved; and Truth, so reproachfully thrust away, will not be given back again to us quickly: There must be Time and Cost about it, and we must wait and expect the greatest brunt now, the sorest opposition against all three Kingdoms: Ye end●red a great fight of afflictions, saith the Heb 10. 32. Apostle: When? After ye were illuminated, after you had a clear sight of God and yourselves, of God's ways, and your ways; how ye walked, how He walked; how contrary one to the other: After ye were illuminated, a sore fight: so after we enter into Covenant every Man for himself, to do so and so; then expect a fierce opposition, a sore Agony; which well considered on, will knit us the faster all together, all as one man; and make our bonds the stronger, engage us more to look to ourselves, and each to others matters. A. What have you to do with Scotland, their Religion and Discipline? let them look to themselves, and you to yourselves: It is against the Laws and Constitutions of Kingdoms, that you should meddle with their matters or they with yours. A. In truth I have heard as much as this once, and again, but I will hear it no more; it is a wicked objection, it makes my Ears tingle: If we cast off the care each of other, farewell all, for all falls to ruin. O abominable! All under one Head and one King, Professing the same Faith, Heirs of the same hope, Members on● of another, and yet against the Law, To have care one of another! The care of all the Churches lay upon Paul, what Law did he break there? Elizabeth, whom every mouth did Bless, except that which does Blaspheme, (for she loved the Nation) She Cared for Scotland, sent succours thither seventy years agone; What law did She break in so doing? Not the Law of God, nor of Charity, nor of Christian Community; then nor the Laws of men. Indeed is is a Cain's Objection, Am I my Brother's Keeper? Yes, that he was, and so every Man is, his Brother's Keeper. It is so of Kingdoms too, specially united under one Crown, wherein there is a Common Interest, which commands a Common Care; There is a (a) 'tis 1 4. Common Faith, and a (b) I●de 3. Common Salvation, which engageth us unto Scotland, Scotland unto us, To contend for that Faith and to seek the Common wealth each of other: Therefore we will not hear what Cain objects, for he slew his Brother: We stand every one charged to Care every one for another's things; Scotland to maintain our Religion, and Discipline; we, theirs; and so our Conference ends; now I make way to the Objection. I. If so be the Devil and his Proctors, subtle Brokers for Babylon, shall endeavour, as they have done, To put out the Eyes of our Brethren in Scotland, To take away Religion (which we must be as tender of as of our Eyes, and preserve with the same diligence, as we do our (c) Qu●● pura est p●p●lla occ●li, etc. Salu. de Gu●. l. 2. Souls) and Discipline in Scotland, or blend and mix it with their folly; mate either th'one or th'other with their madness, Service Book, or Services; oppugn or storm it by any other more violent way, we have lifted up our hands, That according to the Power in our hand, (in our Calling and Station, mark that) we will oppose the Devil and all his Bishops. The Adversary shall not take away their Religion, nor mix it neither, nor their Discipline; we have lifted up our hands unto it, and to the most High God in all the People's fight, That we will oppose them, who will oppose our Brethren in these matters. Object. Fools! first they take a Vow, and after inquire (d) Eccles. what is the Discipline of Scotland? They that have lifted up their Hands to maintain it, do not know what it is. Answ. Like enough, it is so with me and many more; And truly we are not Careful, much less Curiously Inquisitive about it. Grant us to be Idiots, Poor Illiterate men; Nay, if God has given unto any of us more Light in a Land of Visions, Blessed be His Name; But we are Content to be accounted Idiots at this time, having no more understanding, nor perhaps so much, touching the Discipline in Scotland, (there is all the Question that can be made indeed, or scrupled at) than Josiah (a young Saint, yet an old Disciple) could have in all the Commandments, and Statutes, and Testimonies, and yet he made a Covenant before the Lord, to keep them every one: So Josiah ●id, and made the People do, according to the Light he had; but with a sincere heart, with all his heart, and with all his 2 Chron. 34. 31, 32. Soul to Perform the words. The Intent of the heart was sincere, and stood in a direct opposition to Ahabs' house, and all the Idolatries, and Heathenish Services there; and that was as much as was required of him, or his people, and to the extent of their Oath; I must add, and Ours, which stands in opposition only to Ahabs' House, the Pope, and his Bishop's opposition against the said Discipline. I will give one Instance more, because I conceive no seeing Man can stumble any where else, (and there his Passage is cleared with excellent Prudence) possibly we understand no more touching the Scots Discipline, than the Potters, (I find them in the Text, and I will Instance in them all along) Illiterate Men, their Wives, and their Sons, and their Daughters, could understand the Commandments of the Lord, His Judgements, and His Statutes; and yet all these entered into Ne●em. 10. 28. a Curse (I pray you mark it) and into an Oath, To do, and To observe all the . The Statutes and the Judgements of The Lord, were deep things, hard to be understood: Not Levites only and the Priests, but the Rabbins might exercise themselves in the search of those things, and for a full understanding thereof. Object. But the Potters and their Wives, having knowledge and understanding, (as it is said they had) knew that those Judgements and Statutes were good and just, for they were The Lords, His Statutes, His Judgements, Who is GOD in Heaven, and over all the Earth: But the said Discipline is the Discipline of Scotland, a Church upon Earth! The Potters and their Wives might Swear to the one, for they were sure those were the Statutes of God His Judgements, and " Nulla litura in Decretis sapientum, there is no doubt of any fault or imperfection in the Decrees and Ordinances of Heaven; But in the Decrees and Ordinances of man there have been, are, and will be defects and wants to the world's end; and so of the Discipline of Scotland, Therefore we cannot Swear to it. Answ. You are not called to it, not called to Swear, That the Discipline of Scotland is perfect; Nay, you may Swear, if you were called to it, That the Discipline of Scotland is imperfect, though as near * to th● Rule , as Possibly, their Light could bring them, yet but according to the Line of men, and then very Imperfect, and you may swear it to be so: For we may say of the Statutes and Ordinances of Men, even in Church Matters, as the Author concludes his Story, If I have done well, and as the story required, It is the thing I desired; but if I have written slenderly and barely, It is 2 Mac. 15. 39 that I could: You may be sure this is Apocrypha, you will not swear that all there is true, but you dare say that all is imperfect there. I could say much more, even that the Pure Word of God looseth something of its Clearness in its conveyance to us; and tasteth something of Man, through the Corruption of that Conduit-Pipe that brings it to us. For Application of all this, I add; We inquire not about the Discipline of Scotland, we ask no Questions there for Conscience sake, we are Christians by Profession, and Profess to walk and judge by our Rule, That the Discipline of Scotland is according to that Rule, as near to the Pattern in the Mount, as humane understanding can bring it: We believe verily, That our Brethren in Scotland, have sought Counsel at God's Mouth, and Direction from His Hand, for we see with all our Eyes, That He has Counselled them, He has Directed them, He has Blessed them, and they shall be Blessed: He has (making Himself known unto them by His Name JEHOVAH) raised-up amongst them a Stage, whereon He has Acted like a God: And this we believe more touching this Matter or Form rather of Worship, (for I would clear this) That as God shallbe pleased to communicate more Light unto them touching His Pattern, they will come-up yet closer thereunto; and by the degrees of Communication that way, come-up yet nearer unto the Rule. But in the mean time, if the Common Enemy, the Pope and his Bishops, shall, as they have done, thrust-in upon them contrary to their Religion and Discipline established amongst them, we have Liftedup our hands according to the Power, there To make Head against that Common Enemy, so opposing God's People. 2. And if so for the Religion, and the Discipline of Scotland, then sure we will do as much, and as hearty for the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England, and Ireland; In Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government. Object. But what needs all this? May some good Body say (though I hope there is no good Body so void of understanding, as to say) The Doctrine in the Church of England, is a Pure Doctrine, The Worship so, The Discipline and Government so; The Church of England! A glorious Church! [Archbishops, and Bishops, Deans, and Arch-Deacons, (brave men in their Trappings and Accoutrements) these were the Church in Name, as Rome is now] and cryed-up so to be all over the Christian World: And must we swear to a Reformation? Where is there a more perfect Church, for Doctrine and Discipline, under the outstretched Canopy? I have heard them say, (the Bishops themselves) we are well enough, a brave Church; Rich [well decked and trimmed with costly Ornaments, which were found lockt-up in Paul's, and Westminster] we want nothing. Answ Well! So said a Church, as much, almost, as this, That they wanted nothing, when yet their Vaunts were but Conceits only, Thou knowest not that thou art Wretched, and Miserable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked (e) Revel. 3. ●●. Master Brightman. . And truly, to add a word, Mutato nomine, dete narratur, All this is told of us the Church of England, by one, whom we ought to believe, because he speaks with the clearest Evidence of Truth, even from the Mouth of God. But I am very easy to grant at this time, for I will not contend; Let the Bishops have their saying, That this Church (of England) is a Perfect Church for matter and form, and in all the forementioned; [I can clear it to the world, That they have made as great a Deformation in the Church, as ever was seen in the world, since the Council of Trent, the Iliad of that Age;] Nay the perfectest that ever was, or now is (I cannot perfectly tell what will be) upon the Face of the Earth: Grant that, it shall do them no good, nor scruple, or offend us at this point; for, can it be a dishonour to the most perfect Church, to Reform according to the Word of God: I trow not; A Church cannot come up too near unto the Rule, the Word of God, they may Rest at a distance too remote, and fare off; but, I say, again, yet I need not say it, but we have to do with unreasonable Men, we cannot come up too near unto the Rule of Doctrine, and Discipline, and Government. What is that? It follows, To the Word of God; That we endeavour All, in All three Kingdoms, To come up, To the nearest Conjunction, and Uniformity in Religion, Confession of Faith, form of Church Government, Directory for Worship, and Catechising (O Blessed Work; I should speak to that, but it would not be a little) and Catechising, That we and our little ones may, as Brethren, live in Faith, and Love, and the Lord may delight in us. This is all we have sworn unto; And do we Repent? Yes, That we were so foolish, as to make any Scruple here, upon so clear a Text. We are Satisfied now, and had we an hundred Hands, as I Read one Man had, and half as many Mouths, we would do as much, as much with all our Hands and Mouths, as we have done, and so for the next. II. That we will endeavour in like manner the extirpation of Popery (the Rooting of it out) [What else? and] Pr●la●y [they were never separated, these came-in together, and they must go out together.] Ay, but the 〈◊〉 and his Wi●● their Sons and their Daughters too (Pray let me use those words. I mean) Illiterate Persons may stumble at this; for indeed, though Prelacy has wonderfully Blasted itself, as Tyranny has done, yet good words both; Tyranny is but Government; and Prelacy a Superiority amongst Churchmen; and this must be, and we allow of it with all our Hearts; Therefore the Po●ters, and their Wi●es (we find them entering into Covenant,) will observe what follows for explication, and clearing their doubt, touching Prelacy (for Popery they know it well enough; It is A walking in the ways of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin; and after the Whoredoms of Ahab and Jezebels house, i● lifting up the Eye and the Heart to lying vanities; this is plain 〈◊〉.) And now they will understand Prelacy as well, for, know one, and know both, that is, Church Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops, and their Chancellors, with their Etcetera's, together with (I cannot tell what to call it, but I have heard it called,) The Refuse and Garbage of their Courts, depending, and following the Hierarchy, as their train, or as the shadow the Body, bringing in Superstition, Heresy, Schism, Profaneness, etc. Let Baal Plead, for Baal, because not one, but three Kingdoms have sworn to Cast out his Lordship, and his Images, and to break down their house, perhaps, and make it as Baal's, a draught house; Let Baal Plead and bring forth strong Reasons; The Potter and his Wife will not Plead for them, for though they may live in the Remotest Parts of the Kingdom, yet they are not such strangers to the Commonwealth of Israel, as not to know, (though they understand not the word Hierarchy * I● is a Sacred principal●●●e, for it had its Original f●●m the Heathens Arch Flamin● and Fla●in●, continued with a very little change and ●esse Reason up ●ll most to this ●ay; It is a cu●sed Government crept into the Church instead of an Hiera●●●●a a Sacred service, whi●h 1. a●● shall be. ) these Persons what they are, what Blasphemies they have spoken, (besides hard words;) what Heresies they have maintained; what Injustice they have done, (ungodly deeds;) and what In lets they have been to profaneness: These cannot be Ignorant, That the Government by Archbishops, has been Tyrannical, Pharaoh like, from the first Archbishop to him, that, three years a gone, sat in his Throne, I say, Pharaoh like: and his Bishops [for they were his, and at his Beck, he said unto them, do ye this, and they did it; Countenance Altars, they did it, and more; Give the People a grant to Riot on the Lord's day, they did it; Stop the Mouths of the Ministers, they did it; Thrust in the vile, Throwout the Precious, they did it; his Bishops.] And his Bishops were as Pharaohs Taskmasters, grievous oppressors, they have, by help of their Chancellors, and their Etcetera's, St●r●ned the Church of God evermore; And for their Superstitions, how Gross, Palpable, and how many, and Heresies, as many! How many, all these? I have no leisure to number my hairs now: The hearing of them would make a Man's hai●es stand upright, and his ears to tingle; These are so many, and so horrid. I'll report but one Heresy, and this I will report, because it has been an Inlet to that, which follows ever, Profaneness; and has done the greatest disservice, that is Imaginable to the Potters and their Wives. I mean still my Poor Brethren and Sisters in the Countries, that live in the dark, under the droppings of cathedrals, and the Cure of the forementioned, such Brutish Men. I'll Name the Heresy, and the Heretic (whom I have not heard named hitherto, either in the high Court, or in the Assembly. In good time we may hear he is both found and thrown-out, for that end I will Name him.) And that both may appear (else, as the old Custom was, and as Reason is, I'll appear for him to suffer his Censure,) You shall hear the Text first: I will have Mer●y, and Matth 9 13. Doctor Turner's Text of Scripture fearfully blasphemed. not Sacrifice: I will take leave to explain it, I hope to my Lord's meaning, and that the Simple may understand.) If thou art going to offer a Sacrifice, and a Work of Mer●y, offer itself to thee in thy way, which cannot be delayed (w●rk that) Thy Good and Gracious Lord will dispense with thee now for His Sacrifice; He will let that stand aside, that the Work of Mer●y to thy Brother may be done. Nay let me add, That Mer●y may ●e shown to an Inferior Creature, to an Ox or an Ass (I do not account him, as one Calls him, a Brother, Brother Ox, and Brother Ass;) yet, that thou mayest show Mercy to either of Both, and to tell thee how well Pleasing the showing of Mercy to the lowest Be●e Anseltur. Creatures (for His Mercy is over all) is unto The Lord The God of Mercies, He will let His Sacrifice give Place the while, thou art showing this Mercy, in helping these out of the Di●●l●, when thou seest him fallen, as thou art passing by to offer thy Sacrifice, the Calves of thy Lips now Prayers, and Praises. Though I suspect my understanding in higher matters, yet I am Confident here, That this Declares the Heart of the Lord to His Poor Creatures, and the very scope of this Divinity. Now see how the Preacher turned head upon his Text, and his tail to Heaven before a great presence, uttering a notorious Heresy, as all Men will call it, except Archbishops, and Bishops, and their Curates. Thus he Continued his Speech, I will give the sum of it. See the Indulgence of a God And a large allowance from Heaven! The Lord of Heaven and Earth, will suffer His Sacrifice to give place, while Masters, and their Servants shall recreate themselves, according as the Declaration (for sports) [condemned to the fire by the hand of the Hang man] gives them leave. And Blessed be God, That the Fathers [and Lords] of the Church [and Tyrants over the sam●] have been as open handed in tendering Mercy to Poor Creatures [giving an Advouson to Riot on The Lord's day, and Causing it to be Read on that day, and in that Place, where they are to be the Mouth of God] as their great Lord and Master is. O Monstrous! Stay a little, This was Preached to their Lordship's ear, and Commanded to be Published by their Authority, [the highest in Heaven or Earth, not only Asserted to be by Divine Right, but established by an Oath, which upon true search, will be found to be the most Daring Act and Device, that ever was thought upon, since the Devil first put it into the thoughts of the heart, To be like God.] By their Authority, who, being above all, that is Called God, set their Right-foot upon the Church, and their Left foot on the Common wealth (wherein the Potters and their Wives are great sharers; I tell them of it, because, if any thing in the World will make them sensible, that will) and swore these should rise no more; By their Authority, Archbishops, and Bishops, (else they should have hindered it) this Sermon was Printed, Containing such abominable Doctrines, which with other the like, has Caused more than a Schism in the Church, and been an anlet to that, which follows, Profaneness, which, like a mighty stood * Mr. Crook a Summersetshire Minister, was the foreman to promote that cursed liberty for sports on the Lord's Day; he has now made himself vile before all the people. , Came-in upon us in the Country most impetuously; and the Potters with their Wives, whom we should tender as Brothers and Sisters, were Carried away with the stream; and how many drowned in that Devouring flood, I cannot tell: I Confess my Spirit is stirred now for my Brothers, whom I should so love, and to stirre-up their Spirits also, I will enter into a Curse, before I Proceed, I conceive I have very good Warrant so to do; Let my Tongue cleave to the Roof of my Mouth, and that little cunning God in His good Pleasure, has given my right hand, let is be quite forgotten, if I do not remember what Archbishops, Bishops, and their Curates have done: Yea, Let my Arm part from my Shoulder, My hand from my Arm, if I do not endeavour my utmost, in my Place, to extirpate, and root them out, and to throw their— (I may not call them Books) after them. And truly I thought to take this way. To Petition the Assembly of Ministers, That they would sentence these unclean and poisonous—, to the fire, to be consumed there. But I considered, That the Assembly of Ministers, as the Parliament, The most Glorious, that ever was seen in the world; have their heart's intent upon these matters, therefore I did forbear. 2. I considered myself, with the Potters and their Wives, the Poor of the City, whom, God is not pleased (for I will never say it is at the pleasure of Man, and I hope that consideration will make me more patiented of Winter cold, so long as God is not pleased) To supply with Coal, and therefore is Wood a dear commodity; We have not sufficient for ourselves, and that purpose too; for indeed we want, and that purpose requires plenty: If I might express it so, I would say, Lebanon is Isa. 40. 16. not sufficient to burn. Whom? Archbishops, and Bishops (those that refuse to Covenant with God and His people) I had almost said, for their Works deserve to be burnt, else I'll burn for them: And if their Works be of such deserving. so meritorious, much more the Workmen; Men of great Merit and deserving that way: But truly, I mean their Works, as full of Superstitions, Heresies, and Prophanenesses, as a viper is full of poison; But I said truly, our Wood is not sufficient for that purpose, and to serve our own turns too, though yet, if all were of my mind, we would not make spare of Faggots for that Work, though we chillid the more: But I hope we may keep our Wood, yet the Work may be done as well for the present, tell Coal comein. That way we go, and have sworn to take, will do the business very well. We will not ask what way, because we are sworn Men, and our Vows are upon us, To do our utmost endeavour, To extirpate, Pluck up by the Roots, the Hierarchichall Government; and then we will do well enough with the rest: If the Roots of the Oak be grubbed-up, the Bulky Body must fall, the Shreds, Arms, Boughs, and out-Leaves must whither presently. So, if Archbishops and Bishops be thrown down; All that, which comein, grew-up, and spread forth with them, must down also: All Superstitions, Heresies, and Pr●phanenesses: And we have liftedup the hand and subscribed our Names, That out these shall, even all that is contrary to sound Doctrine, and the Power of Godliness; That was well put-in, the Finger of God put it there; All that is contrary to sound Doctrine and the Power of Godliness. All Archbishops and Bishops, with all their Etceteraes have been so. so contrary as Hell to Heaven▪ The evil spirits to the good; so contrary. Then out they shall, we swear they shall; we will all with one (f) Zep. 3. 9 Consent, in English. Shoulder, join hand to hand, and shoulder to shoulder at this dead lift, and out they shall be cast; Left we partake of other men's sins, and then of their Plagues too; and that The Lord may be one, and His Name one in the three Kingdoms: There can be no doubt there. And this for the Religious Part of the Covenant, The Civil follows. III. And that concerns the Kingdom's Birthright, the Rights and Liberties of Parliament; and then of the Subject, Mine and Thine, for we put altogether. And God forbidden we should not every Man lift-up his hand to maintain these, for therein he maintains his own Rights and Liberties too, and the Liberties of the Kingdoms: Then I hope we will Maintain the Parliament, which maintains all these; but I go on: The Lord forbidden it me, saith Naboth, That I should give the Inheritance 1 King. 21. 3 of my Fathers unto thee. Give it! he had but sold it, Ahah would give the worth of it in money: Ay, but Naboth will not give, nor sell away the Inheritance of his Father, his Birthright: A notable example, he would not part with his Birthright. All the Reason then in the world, we should lift up our hand touching this matter, as we have Protested and Covenanted twice heretofore. * See Covenant asserted, p. 5. touching our bounden duty to the Parliament. 2. And to preserve and defend the King's Majesty's Person. Object. Defend His Person! Defenders indeed! These rise up against His Sacred Person, bear Arms against His Power and Authority. Answ. I did not undertake at first to make Answer to this man, an obstinate fellow, having his Conscience seared; he has Answer after Answer, and Reason upon Reason to make his folly departed; but words are lost in a Fool's Ear; Nay, beat him as Wheat in a Mortar, it will not do: I confess, when I meet with this unreasonable man, I depart from myself, for I lose my patience. I think verily this fellow, and other like him, are the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus. I will not contend now, but I will give him a shorter word than M●ney, which is Italian, a Plain Lie in Jnglish, for he is in earnest, and so am I too: I will reprove this Cretian sharply, and so let him go; He is a Liar, a— as he shall hear presenly, for he finds himself ra●ked amongst his fellows: We bear Arms against the most bloody Villains, Monstrous Rebels that ever were upon the face of the Earth. One of that Company, a very young Proctor in their Court, tells us, before he was ware, They are all Papists. A notorious abuse against the Pope's Holiness, to Father such a Regiment of— upon his Fatherhood, Papa the Pope! Hear what they are, as one sets-them-out very well to the view of all the World; They are a Colluvies, a heap, a gathering together of the Scum, and Dross, and Garbage of three Kingdoms and more; a most accursed Confederacy, made up of Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, the Philistines, with the Inhabitants of Tyre, of Jesuits, Papists, and Atheists, of Stigmatical and Infamous Persons in all Lands: Against these we bear Arms, who have done as the Bishops before them, set their foot, etc. as before, and their mouth against Heaven, Blasphemed the Holy One, and His holy ones; made all the Laws of Heaven and Earth, void; trampled the Word of Truth under foot, and swear God Damn them, the Lord Christ shall R●igne no more; We have lifted up our hands against these Monsters, this Viperous generation, That we will destroy them from off the Earth, and pluck his Majesty's Sacred Person from amidst these cursed Hellhounds; We are resolved so to do by all lawful means. The Person of the King, a Sacred Person; Anointed with oil! But his Soul! the Person indeed; we have liftedup the hand, That we will Pluck it, according to the Power in our hands, as a Brand out of the fire, for his Soul dwells amongst Scorpions, those that are set on fire; He is amongst Lions, as David (g) Psal. 7 4 complained, so grievous it was to him; It was his heart's grief, that his Condition was such to be amongst Scorpions. The King is Content to be where he is, though in the same danger that David was; We do Vow to pluck him thence, to pray * That is the manner, pray ●or his prese●●a●ion who seeks their destination. 1 Cor. 4 12; 13. incessantly for him, as they do that can pray, and so they pluck at him; that is the violence they use, and need there is of such a violence. We lift up our hands to an hard work; an hard work it is, to deliver a man, whether he will or no: But yet the world must bear witness with our Consciences of our loyalty; We Vow nothing above strength, but to pray, and endeavour it to our utmost; so we will, so long as we have an hand to lift-up, a Sword or Spear to put in them. And for the Regal Authority, that will maintain itself whether he will or not, in the preservation and defence of the true Religion. But we will endeavour it, as was said, that all the world may witness too, That we have no thoughts or Intentions to diminish his Majesty's just Power and Greatness. IU. And as we swear ourselves Faithful to God and the King, to ourselves and our Birthright; To maintain the Regal Authority set over us; so also we do swear to Discover and make known all Incendiaries, Malignants, all who are Enemies to all this, endeavouring to make all void, and their utmost to cut asunder the Staff of Beauty, That the Covenant may break; and the Staff of Bands, Z●●h. 11. 10. That the Brotherhood may break betwixt Judah and Israel; that is the Eyesore: But we have sworn to pursue these vile persons, these Sanballats, Tobiahs, and Geshem's, even to death, sentenced thereunto by those, that have Authority in their hands to cut off those Murderers from the Earth; or can give-out that Power unto others to execute the vengeance of the Lord upon them. V By the Providence of our good God, and His exceeding kindness to His People, we that were twain, are now made one, and as one Stick in God's Hand, Ez. 33. 19 ready to flee upon the Shoulders of the Philistines, who were, two Centuries ago, as Scorpions, each to other, flying each at others Faces, and eating each others Is. 9 21. Is. 11. 13. Arm, Manassch Ephraim, and Ephraim Manassch Now that the Lord hath Put such a Pri●e into our hands, has caused the Envy of Ephraim to departed, and made manifest their Adversaries to be the Adversaries of Judah also; we do Vow to set our Hearts to the maintenance of this Brotherhood, That it may be kept firm and fast for ever. VI And do these Enemies and Adversaries what they can, as they will do to the length of their Chain, We Swear it, lifting-up our hands to Heaven, That we will do our utmost against them; those open Adversaries, and those more secret, but more dangerous, who give themselves to a detestable Indifferency or neutrality in this case, which so much concerneth the Glory of GOD, The good of the Kingdoms, and Ho●our of the King; We are sworn to do our utmost, that those may he Spewed forth: We will Eye them narrowly that make Divisions amongst us; would thrust us from our God, and withdraw us from our standing in firm Union, each with other; And we will wish that those were cut off that trouble us; and what we cannot do, (for we work in our Sphere, and according to our Capacity and Power of Working) We will Reveal to others, who are in Authority, and Place, and will do it, cut them off betimes, who sow Tares of Discord, so infesting and troubling us; All which we shall do as in the sight of GOD: That's well, for then here will be no respect of Persons; If a Brother, a Son, a Daughter, Deut. 13. a Wife, a Friend, if any of these be a Malignant, or a Neuter, he must not be spared; Self and Self-respects, with References to Him and to Her, to this and to that, has much to Plead here; but all is easy Answered; We are Sworn Men, we are entered into an Oath, we must do as King Asa did, not Spare; He is my Friend, perhaps my Child, (that's the sorrow:) But he is an Enemy to God, to good Men, and to the Church's best Friend, The Lord Jesus Christ: And a Child of Belial he is, I cannot be to seek what I am to do, having used all fair Means, I must discover my Friend to be an Enemy indeed; and do with the Child, as the Parents did with their Stubborn Child, Deut. 21. 18. bring him out unto the Elders; for I do all as in the sight of GOD. And now we come to the main Point, the very Centre of Reformation, Self, a man's own heart and life; there is the great Point indeed; all the Lines that have been drawn, [and they have been drawn with the greatest exactness, all the Prudence that we can imagine to be in Man, with Reference still, and directest tendency to the only Rule and end, The glory of God, and man's eternal good:] All these Lines must be Centred now in my heart and life, all ends in a personal Reformation, for that is all in all to him, that has liftedup his hand now. We must observe here, first, the wickedness of some, not a few, Doctors and Proctors for the Church of Rome. 2. The weakness, for I will not call it wickedness of others very many. 1. See the wickedness of this man, he is a Legion, I will speak of him single; He cannot take the Covenant, he could not take the former,, nor the latter, nor this now; Indeed he cannot take it, nay, he will Swear to, and not Sin; he has done and can do strange matters, and yet no sin in all he does to his Conscience: He could proclaim an Heathenish Liberty to profane The Lord's Day, in The Lord's House, and yet not sin; he strained not at that Camel, but swallowed it. He could bend before Altars, and setup Images, and not Sin: Twenty things more, the grossest abominations that can be named, he can do, and not Sin; keep two Live, three for failing, and attend neither, and not Sin; spill the blood of Souls, and not Sin: But a Covenant he cannot take, and not Sin; That, like a Bone sticks in his Throat, he cannot swallow that, and not Sin. This bruitsh man must not be spared, such a Notorious— Person, we must never cease wishing, that he were cut off, who so troubles us; That this vile Person, (for you heard what abominations he does, yet says he does not Sin; and what he will not do, lest he sin: That this so Vile a Person (a Doctor, a Teacher of Lies) may be set apart, as was the Leper, (for he is as Infectious) left he infect others, I will assure the Reader, what that is which makes this man sly from a Covenant; He is not so Brutish, blind, or Seared, (though all this he is) as not to allow of this Covenant. Why does he not take it then? As sure as we live, I can tell why? because it ends in a Personal Reformation of all that is amiss; he will never take it, for he is amiss, and besides his Rule in all he does: and if he enter into Covenant now, he swears to oversee himeslf; himself first, than others, Wife, Children, and servants; his own House, than the Act. 20. 28. ● Tun. 3 4. 4. 16. Tit. 2. 7. House of God. But this is not all, though he never did any of all this, if he enters into Covenant, he must shut his Ears from Hearing Blood, and he has shed the Blood of Souls, with no more Regret than he swallows Wine, wherewith many times he is swallowed up: he must shake his Lap at unjust gain, but he cannot shake hands with his two Live; He must, but I forbear: I have said enough Isa. 28. 7, to declare his wickedness, and because he is a Doctor (a Teacher of others) I will say but this, he is another Mountebank, he can stab his body for gain; so this Doctor, his Soul, and not Sin. See their wickedness! We have sworn to do our utmost that these may be cut off, who have taken Peace from the Earth. 2. See the weakness of others, very many, their ignorance rather, and pity it: They will read the Covenant, then raise Questions and make Doubts about it, which Momus himself would scarce do, who had an Art, and made it his trade to make faults where he found none, They will, I say, make questions about the beginning, or midst, or thereabouts, and quickly receive satitfaction to all their doubts; and then they enter into it, never questioning the last point, that great point, touching Personal and household Reformation; They never made question there for Conscience sake: I mean, not touching the lawfulness of it, for there can be no question, but touching the performance at this point, standing to that they have so solemnly Covenanted to perform; They had not one serious thought upon this matter: It is their ignorance. Blessed be God, there shall be a course taken to thrust out this vile Parson, their Doctor, and to put in a precious Person in his Room, who will make it his work to instruct and teach their poor people touching this last point, Personal Reformation, which is the Bottom and Centre of all we have sworn unto, even every Mother's Child, which is to bring home all this to himself, there To Centre all, in his own heart and life; This is the work indeed, this is the labour, This Personal Reformation, the Centring of it in a Man's self, and showing it forth in a man's life and conversation: And were it not that with God all things are possible, and he requires no more of a People, but that they be a people of willingnesses, (and he makes them so) were it not for P●a●. 110. 3. this, the best man amongst us would flie-back from this work, or faint before it, considering the mighty opposition he must meet with now; the potent Adversaries he must contend against; The Devils in Hell, and those in the Air, and all his Servants on earth. The Devil will give him good leave to lift up the hand for company to all the ; To contend for Religion, to fight for Religion, to be all (in show) for Religion; but when Religion (it contains all) comes to be bottomed, and Centred in a man's heart and life, thou must be all this, Religious and Faithful, and not for thyself only, but for all thy household, all under thy charge, and over sight: when it comes to settle here, as upon the true Basis and proper place, than what stirs are here! What an opposition! I can more than guess now what are the Wiles, Depths, Devices, workings of Satan this way with every good man; These are the turn and wind of the crooked Serpent: Thou hast vowed to serve God; serve Him; But for the matter of worship, as God has prescribed: And manner, with the whole heart, as God has commanded, There is the opposition. The main Brunt will be on the Lord's Day, touching that Solemnity on that day, and the Services proper to the day. The man will perceive how subtle the Adversary is, as much against the Due observing of The Lords Day, as against The Lord Himself. What needs all this strictness? The Sabbath is made for Man, not you for the Sabbath: Sat out thy hour at Church in the Morning, and as long at Evening, and then recreate thyself; God says, He will have mercy; Better, and wiser than thyself say so, and do so, Archbishops, and Bishops with their Curates; and give thee fair allowance so to do, in like manner as they do, and teach. Fool as thou art, and slow to understanding, what is Christian liberty! Thou art now repeating the Sermon, when thou mightest, [with less danger of an Earthly Prison, when time was] be elsewhere, in the fields [walking and doing after the Pleasure of thine own Eye.] Reader, do not think slightly of this, how ever it seems; be confident, the Devil works strongly, and prevails mightily by precedents; presenting before common Eyes, the example of Bishops, how they have or do walk before the People. It is true, there are examples of God's Judgements, which might be presented here in visible Characters, and as terrible as was the writing on the Wall, upon Dan 5. those that have done as the Devil has persuaded them, and as the example of Bishops have led-on; for has not The Lord Remembered all those abominations, the Breach of His only Holy Day? Has he not remembered all this, and required it of the Bishops, and those, that have practised according to these abominations, The Bishop's allowance and Rule? But we go-on, The Bishops carried it, and their examples are snares at this day, and their words eat as a Gangrene; for which we ought, and so we lift-up the hands to be humbled, for what our own hearts have done, and what the Bishops have done: and, because we were so well content to have it so. I did not value the Everlasting Gospel; If I had so done, I had contended for it, and more set myself, against myself, and those Men, and their Doctrines. But I return where I digressed, how the Devil works with this Man, now he has lifted up his hand to the living God; The Devil tells him, If thou wilt be strict, be strict for thyself; be not so for thy Household, Children and Servants there; they may take the Recreations, as is allowed them by the Bishops, who are not so precise, [No, their houses were the Tabernacles of Robbers, and as the Mountains of Prey; Wilder Folk than Satyr's danced there; Therefore, though their house be not yet made a Dunghill, as that infamous Lords-House was; 2 Kings 10. 27. yet, Blessed be God, they are Prisons to hold those, who are almost as bad as themselves, and made so bad by their Bishop's example. Thou wilt Pardon me Reader, if I am confused here; when I look off my own heart, as too often I do, than I look upon Archbishops, Bishops, and their Curates, all the Brutish Pastors in the Land, as upon the fomentors of these Divisions; Causers of these Distractions; Authors of these Confusions in our Land: Therefore I shall never mention them, or any of these, but as Jeroboam is mentioned in the Sacred Records, Archbishops, and Bishops, etc. That made Israel to sin; Profaning The Lord's Day by a Law; stopping the Mouths of Ministers; thrusting them aside, to hang like an Instrument, whose strings are let-down; or thrust-up into a corner, as if of no more worth than themselves; like a Vessel wherein is no Pleasure. We Vow to be humbled for all these Blasphemies, Impieties, Iniquities, for all that our own beguiled hearts have done here; and all that these men have done, by their examples: We Vow also to be avenged of them; and to reform every man himself, there to Centre Reformation; And thus the good Soldier (A Christian indeed, maintaining his Militia) Resolved for his own part (the Subject of the next Treatise) and so by the good hand of God with him, he confounds his Adversaries, and lives above example, according to the Rule, and Tenor of the Curse and Oath he has entered into; and to follow no man now, but as he follows Christ; Who is given a Leader and Commander to His People: And so to take care, special care of his family also entrusted to his care by The Lord Himself as (in another Case, and in a figure that Man (a) 1 King. 20. 39 was,) See unto them, thy Children, thy Servants there, they have the like precious Soul, all one at that point of Cure, Children, and Servants all one, their Souls as precious, as thine, bought with the same Price; Heirs to the same Inheritance; precious Souls as thine; Thine and Theirs more precious than a World, than all earthly things there, more ex●elling than the San, when it shines in his strength; These Souls are thy charge, look to them, if they miscarry, if th●se perish by thy means, and default, they die in their sins, but their blood shall be required at thy hands, life for life, though not in exchange, yet both shall perish together. Therefore this man considering the terror of the Lord, walks wisely in the midst of his house; he keeps a day to The Lord himself, so shall his house too, all the persons within his gates; To be short in so clear a matter, so fully charged upon the Governors (for Souls know no sex,) Abraham will command his children (b) Gen 18. 1●. . As for me and my House, we will serve the Lord (c) Iosh. 24. 15. , I and my Maidens (d) Este●. 4 16 ; feared God with all his House (e) Act. 10. 2. : Reformation is Personal; it is centred and bottomed in self, self Reformation, in the heart and life; He hath liftedup the hand To all this, he has subscribed his Name unto it. We must now observe, in the second place, the solemnity of these Actions, and then we shall the better see every man his own engagement. II. He lifts up his hand, he subscribes his name: His hand next week may be asleep in the dust, but he has subscribed his Name; That lives, when the Man is dead. But the least is in that, though that tells it to posterity; certainly there was never such a thing, so done in our Israel. A. Yes, you will say, we protested and entered into Covenant, twice in all the People's sight. ●. True, but we did not lift up the hand. I do not doubt, but every honest man liftedup the heart, those other times, To that solemn Work, Vow, and Covenant formerly entered into. A, That is the better P●s●●●e of the two, is it not? B. No, for two Reasons, and a third which is chief of all. First, it is not so suitable to the Work of the Day: I Covenant now in all the People's sight; Therefore the greatest Reason in the World. That they should see what I do. A. Well, but I lift-up my heart. B. Very well, but how can the People tell that? A. A Pharisee! He will be seen of men. B. Yes, at such a solemn time, as this is, he must not creep into a corner. In these Cases, and at such Solemnities, he must confess his God before Men, else he knows what follows (f) Matth. 10 33. Lake 12. 9 . I hope I shall never forget what the Martyrs did in Ancient times; if they would have offered a grain of Incense to the Idol, they might have kept their skins upon their flesh, and their flesh sound and whole; but, because they would not do so much, their skin was torn from their Shoulders, and their flesh from their Bones. " But this is it, which I intent, The Adversary was more weary in tormenting, than Christians were in suffering their torments; So the Adversary tried them with gentle persuasions; saying, ye shall not offer unto our (Idol) god, no not so much as a grain of Incense: Ye shall but make an offer only, a semblance and no more, and I will satisfy My Master the Emperor, and the People too; For I will say ye have offered. And so the Adversary said in the face of the Assembly, The Christians have offered to our god. Now mark: No said the Christians, lifting-up their hands and their voices. No, we are Christians, These hands have not offered, no not a grain; nor will we offer; No, we will suffer our skin to be pulled over our heads, and our flesh from our bones, rather than we will offer so much as one grain to a strange god; We did not do it, we will never do it, no, never, never; See there! There is much more, a most Notable Euseb. l 8. H. 1. Tr●p. l. 6. Eut. c. 1●. History, you must gather in up, here and there, These witnessed a good confession before men. And now! But I forbear, though it is hard to take off my hand from this work. This is the example, and 'tis to our purpose, when God calls us forth to confess Him, as now He does, to Covenant with Him, we must do it after this manner, in all the People's sight. In such cases (I say again) and at such solemnities, I must do, as I may be seen; That is one Reason, why I am commanded to lift-up my hand, and it is a mighty Reason, There is another as good. 2. I lift-up my hand, I subscribe my name, so giving a clear attestation before all the People; That I lift-up my heart to the work. viz. All, that I have liftedup my hand unto, I will, by God's grace, endeavour to perform. It is my full purpose so; I will centre and bottom all, contained there, in my own heart. I have vowed with my Mouth, By God's help (and without that I can do nothing, but sin against Him) but by His help, what my tongue protested, my hand shall fulfil, and my hand shall subscribe unto it too, which makes the obligations stronger: I cannot withdraw back now and prosper; Pilate will reprove me if so I do; I have subscribed to all this, and what I have written, I have written: It is the full purpose of my heart, not to alter now after this Solemnity, whereof there is yet a third Reason, and that is Mighty, for, in so doing, we do as God has done before us. 3. It is after the very manner of God Himself, when He sweareth to show Mercy, or execute Judgement upon His People: What does He do then? Then, to assure His People, who are very flow to believe, that He will very certainly perform with them, as He hath sworn; then we observe this Posture of the hands lift-up, often in one Chapter, nay in one breath, I lifted up My hand, says Ezek. ●0. The Lord, To the seed of Jacob. The gesture is according to the example of God Himself, who speaks with His Mouth, and fulfils with His hand; And after the same manner His servant Abraham, I lift up my hand unto The most high God: So have we done, as The Lord does; as Abraham did, so have we done, every Man for himself, lifted up the hand to The most high God, subscribed also with the same hand unto The Lord, and surnamed every Man Himself, by the Name of Israel: There is the centre of Reformation, Self, Personal Reformation; So the true Christian Soldier hath Covenanted for himself, and with his God. And now what his Lord hath promised to do for all His Israel, I will purge out from among you the Rebels (g) Ezek. 20 28. , the same will He do for this Man; He will do it in His own and best time, It shall be done: In the mean time, The Rebels within the Man, for there they be, shall be so mastered, subdued, overpowred, that they shall do the Man good service; they shall try, and prove him; edge and purify his graces: And all the Rebels without, shall do him no hurt. Now that he is in Covenant with God, knows This God, now he shall be strong, and do (h) Dan. 11. 32. . What shall he do? I cannot tell, For the original Hebrew does not tell me: but do he shall, strange things, above reason, above hope, above his prayers too: he shall put a legion of Devils to flight; he shall leap over a wall, and skip over a mountain, for it shallbe a plain before him, the Lion and the Bear shall not hinder him in his way, nor discourage him; his way is made passable, and every work to him possible. He can do; What? All things; And this is to do exploits as we read it, for God is with him, his God, a God in Covenant with him; he can do exploits. But this, with other things of infinite concernment to Kingdoms, and every person there, will make a fuller Treatise, than this, which I will conclude now, and shut-up; So I, so thou, as the Soldier before, have entered into Covenant; how grave for the matter; how solemn for the manner! The Lord give us grace to understand, that we may do accordingly. And then no matter what the Adversary does against us; he does, as an adversary, what mischief he can, according to the power in his hand: But no matter though the gates of hell open upon us, and stand in defiance against us. Stand we to our Covenant, with full purpose of heart to keep unto it, and close to our God; What then? We can stand a● defiance too, not fear their fear; not fear the Devil, nor sin, nor death; for we may make Paul's challenge. We fear God, fear only to displease him, are in Covenant with Him, by His good hand with us, we are resolved, with full purpose of heart, to keep close to Him; and we are sure He will stand by us, and then we have enough strength on our side. For God is with us, and He is All, All sufficient. Amen, even so Amen. FINIS.