pon us, but casteth such an horrible disgrace
and reproach upon God, that it cannot stand with God's honour not to be
avenged of a covenant-breaker. Tertullian saith, "That when a Christian
forsakes his covenant, and the colours of Christ, and turns to serve as
the devil's soldier, he puts an unspeakable discredit upon God and
Christ." For it is as much as if he should say, "I like the service of
the devil better than the service of God." And it is just as if a
soldier that hath waged war under a captain, and afterwards forsakes
him, and turns to another; and after that, leaves this other captain,
and turns to his former captain. This is to prefer the first captain
before the second. This makes God complain, "What iniquity have your
fathers found in Me, that they have gone far from Me?" And, "Hath any
nation changed their god, which yet are no gods? But My people have
changed their glory for that which doth not profit." Basil brings in the
devil insulting over Christ, and saying, "I never created nor redeemed
these men, and yet they have obeyed me and contemned Thee, O Christ,
even after they have covenanted to be Thine." And then he adds, "I
esteem this honouring of the devil over Jesus Christ at the great day,
to be more grievous to a true saint than all the torments in hell." A
saying worthy to be written in letters of gold. Seeing then that
covenant-breaking is so great an abomination, the Lord give us hearts to
be humbled for this great abomination this day. And this will be a
notable preparation to fit you for the renewing of your covenant. For we
read, that Nehemiah first called his people to fast before he drew them
unto a covenant: according to which pattern, you are here met to pray
and humble your souls for your former covenant-breaking; and then to
bind yourselves anew unto the Lord our God. As wax, when it is melted,
will receive the impression of a seal, which it will not do before: so
will your hearts, when melted into godly sorrow for our sins, receive
the seal of God abidingly upon them which they will not do when hardened
in sin.

Is every man that sins against the covenant to be accounted a
covenant-breaker, and a perjured sacrilegious person? By no means. For,
as every failing of a wife doth not break covenant between her and her
husband, but she is to be accounted a wife, till she, by committing
adultery, break the covenant: so, every miscarriage against the covenant
of grace, or against this nation