richo have fallen flat before it. The dagon of the bishop's
service-book broke its neck before this ark of the covenant. Prelacy and
prerogative have bowed down, and given up the ghost at its feet. What a
reformation hath followed at the heels of this glorious ordinance! and
truly, even among us, as poorly and lamely, and brokenly, as it hath
been managed among us. I am confident, we had given up the ghost before
this time, had it not been for this water of life. Oh! what glorious
success might we expect, if we did make such cheerful, such holy, such
conscientious addresses, as become the law of so solemn an ordinance!
truly, could I see such a willing people in this day of God's power, as
are here in the text, encouraging and engaging one another, in an holy
conspiracy; "Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual
covenant;" I have faith enough to promise and prophesy to you in the
name of the Lord, and in the words of His servant Haggai, "From this
very day I will bless you." And that you may know of what sovereignty
this ordinance is; take notice of this, that this is the last physic
that ever the church shall take or need; it lies clear in the text; for
it is an everlasting covenant; and therefore the last that ever shall be
made. After the full and final accomplishment of this promise and duty,
the church shall be of so excellent a complexion, that "the inhabitant
shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein, shall be
forgiven their iniquity." The Lord make it such physic to us for
Christ's sake.

THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.

SERMON AT LONDON.

_BY THOMAS CASE._

I come now to the third query, how? And this inquiry divides itself into
two branches--How to (I.) Acceptation and (II.) Perpetuity? For the
satisfying of both which, I will fetch as much as may be out of the
text, that so you may yet further behold what proportion there is
between the duty there, and that which lies before us this day.

In the first place, we must inquire how this duty may be so managed,
that God may accept of us in the doing of it? How to acceptation?

Now, in the general, we must know that this service, being an ordinance
of God, must be undertaken and managed with an ordinance frame of heart,
_i.e._ according to the laws and rules of divine worship; and by how
much the more sacred and solemn this ordinance is, by so much the more
ought we to call up and provoke the choicest, and heavenliest of t