r's words.

_Object_. 1. "In all the national covenants whereof we read in
scripture, there was still the concurrence of either the sovereign
authority then in being, or at least of the Captains, Elders, Officers,
and Heads of the tribes; And, therefore, it cannot be done by private
subjects, without either royal or parliamentary authority."

_Ans_. Certainly the obligations of the Covenant, held forth Deut. xxix.
10, 11, 12, being so extensive as to reach all the members of church and
commonwealth, of all qualities, ranks, vocations, ages, sexes; is to be
understood _positively_, that all these are obliged to enter into
covenant, but not _negatively_, that without any of these the covenant
should not be entered into. The motives mentioned are to the small as
well as to the great; and without them as well as with them; the
articles of it, and the keeping and doing them, are common to both
alike: The relation that the small and meaner sort of people have to God
(the other contracting party) is the same that the nobles and great ones
have, and the privileges of it, to be established as a people unto
himself and to have him for their God, do no more belong to the one than
the other; And consequently the small may renew it, as well as the
great; but not nationally to bind the whole nation formally, to which
indeed the concurrence of the representatives is necessary. As for
precedents of this practice, see them above, in the narrative of the
sermons, [p. 9].

_Object_. 2. "This covenant having been disclaimed by the political
father, and made void by law, never again revived by authority of
parliament, nor the law rescinded by which it was declared not
obligatory; is therefore of no binding force upon us, who have never
personally sworn it; and to renew it, and bring ourselves under the bond
of it, when we are free, without the concurring or imposing authority of
our rulers, is high presumption in private subjects."

_Ans_. If any engagements can be supposed binding to posterity,
certainly national covenants to keep the commandments of God, and to
adhere to his institutions, must be of that nature. It cannot be denied,
that several obligations do bind to posterity; such as public promises
with annexation of curses to breakers, Neh. v. 12, 13. Thus Joshua's
adjuration did oblige all posterity never to build Jericho, Josh. vi.
26. And the breach of it did bring the curse upon Hiel the Bethelite, in
the days of Ahab. 2dly,