VeR. 106.] SERMONS UPON- PSALM CXIX. 87
stant in all his promises, and he certainly expects the like constancy from us, especially when we are so deeply hound, not only hy his laws and ohligation of his mercies, hut hy the solemn consent of our own vows. We have hound ourselves, then, to keep them, whether we will or no. Now, what reasons are there wliy we must perform ?
1. The same motives that inclined us at first to take our oath should persuade us to keep it whatever falls out. After trial we shall see no cause to repent of our resolution, for God is ever the same that he was, and his commands are ever the same in all his righteous judgments, holy, just, good, profitahle to the creature. Christians 1 if we meet with any change in our outward condition, any new im- pediments, oppositions, and discouragements that we were not aware of when we first entered into our oath, it was our rashness, for we should sit down and count the charges, we should allow for it. The first article of the new covenant was that we should deny ourselves. Mat. xvi. 24 ; and after vows we should not make inquiry, hut hefore, Prov. XX. 25. When we are hound we must take our lot and hazard, and whatever comes we must perform them to God.
2. Because our oath is a further aggravation of our sin, therefore better never swear tlian not to keep it : Eccles. v. 5, ' Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, than vow and not pay.' God is mocked hy an oath and a covenant when it is not observed. A man that refuseth to be listed doth not meet with the like punishment as he that runs from his colours ; so he that never came under the oath of God, doth not sin so much as he that hath sworn to his covenant. That which is but simple fornication in the Gentiles, in Christians it is adultery, breach of vow. Indeed, in things that are absolutely and in- dispensably necessary to salvation, we are bound to consent. Ay ! but when a consent thus solemnly made is broken, it aggravates the sin ; but when we shall be like the man in the Gospel that was possessed with the devil, whom no chains could hold fast, when neither the bond of duty, nor the bonds of our own oaths and engage- ments will hold us, but we break all cords, the greater is our rebellion and disobedience to God.
3. Therefore must we perform the obedience that we have sworn to God, because God hath ever been a severe and just avenger of breach of covenants. By way of argument, a minori ad majus, those made with man ; and therefore certainly he will avenge his covenant so solemnly made with himself, and everywhere in scripture you will find it is propounded as a sure mark of vengeance. When one man hath sworn to another, and hath called upon the most high God to con- firm that covenant that he makes with him, if there be a failure, a trespass, though it be in point of omission, God hath avenged that covenant. An instance for this you have Amos i. 9, ' For three trans- gressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof ; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembei-ed not the brotlierly covenant.' Tyrus and Judah they were in covenant one with another, a mutual league offensive and de- fensive that were solemnly sworn. Now though God had many causes of his vengeance, and many quari'els with Tyrus because of their idolatries, but chiefly because of breach of covenant, they forgat
88 SERMONS UrOX PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXV.
tlie friendship that was between the chihh-en of Israel and Judah, and did not assist the people of Judah as they should, and were bound to do, but suffered them to be led into captivity, and spoiled by the Edomites and other nations. So for a sin of commission ; it is spoken of as a mark of sore vengeance : Ps. Iv. 20, ' He hath put forth his hand against such as be at peace with him; he hath broken his covenant/ In those federal transactions and oaths that pass between man and man, God takes himself to be specially interested, and will see that the breach of them be severely punished. The next step is, not only between equals, but when a covenant hath been made with servants and poor underlings, and would not set them free at the year of jubilee, see how severely God threatens them, Jer. xxxiv. 16-18, for the breach of it ; nay a covenant made with enemies, Ezek. xvii. 18, 19. Nay, carry it one gradation higher, though the covenant were extorted by fraud, as the covenant made with the Gibeonites, Josh. ix. 19, 20. They were part of the Canaanites, and God severely enjoined the Israelites that they should cut off all those nations ; yet when they craftily got them into covenant, when this jieople were \vronged by iSaul, the Lord takes notice of it, 2 Sam, xxi. 1-3. See how God judgeth for them ; there were three years' famine and pestilence, which was not appeased imtil Saul's sons were hanged before the sun. Now the Lord hath ever been such a severe avenger of an oath between man and man, between his people and their servants, between his people and their enemies, and when extorted from them, certainly in such a solemn covenant as he hath made between us and himself, and that in things absolutely necessary, in things enjoined before the covenant was made, it is not safe to break with God. Ananias, when he vowed a thing to the Lord, though he was free before, God strikes him dead. It is not free with us, whether we will obey, yea or nay, Avhat is enjoined upcm us ; therefore when we will break with God, what shall we expect but that he should avenge the quarrel of his covenant ?