al covenant doth not denominate us, in a
gospel account, covenant-breakers: but then God accounts us, according
to His gospel, to break covenant when we do not only sin, but commit sin
against the covenant; when we do not only sin out of weakness, but out
of wickedness; when we do not only fail, but fall into sin; when we
forsake and renounce the covenant; when we deal treacherously in the
covenant, and enter into league and covenant with those sins which we
have sworn against; when we walk into anti-covenant paths, and willingly
do contrary to what we swear; then are we perjured, and unjust, and
sacrilegious, and guilty of all those things formerly mentioned.

The fourth use presents unto you a divine, and therefore a sure project
to make the times happy; and that is, let all covenant-takers labour to
be covenant-keepers. It hath pleased God, to put it in your hearts to
renew your covenant, the same God enabled you to keep covenant. It is
said, "The king made a covenant before the Lord. And he caused all that
were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the king
stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord. And all the
people stood to the covenant." This is your duty, not only to take the
covenant, but to stand to the covenant; and to stand to it maugre all
opposition to the contrary, as we read, "And they entered into a
covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers. That whosoever would not
seek the Lord God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or
great, whether man or woman." For it is not the taking, but the keeping
of the covenant, that will make you happy. God is styled, "A God keeping
covenant." O that this might be the honour of this city! That we may say
of it, London is a city keeping covenant with God. Great and many are
the blessings entailed upon covenant-keepers. "Now, therefore, if ye
will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a
peculiar treasure unto Me, above all people: for all the earth is Mine;
and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation." "All
the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His
covenant." There are three covenants, I shall persuade you in a special
manner to stand to.

1. The covenant you made with God in baptism. A Christian (saith
Chrysostom) should never step out of doors, or lie down in his bed, or
go into his closet, but he should remember the time when he did renounce
the devil and al