The Quarrel of the Covenant

Book excerpt: Thomas Case sets forth Leviticus 26:25, “And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant.” He explains how it comes to pass that covenant violation is a matter of high quarrel between God and his people. He shows “covenant” in its nature, matter, form, parties and end. He clearly explains that such a violation (to break covenant with God or to lie in taking an oath or vow) is seen in three ways: contemptuous refusing, graceless profaning, and treacherous deceiving. The reasons he gives of such a quarrel is the contempt of God’s holy ordinances and of holiness itself; gross ignorance under the glorious light of the Gospel; unfruitfulness under the means of grace; ingratitude for mercies; incorrigibleness under judgments; profaning the Lord’s Day; all sorts of uncleanness, luxury, and excess in eating or drinking; vanity, pride, envy, contention, divisions, oppression, fraud, and violence. Not even one professing Christian person can say that he is wholly free from such. In this he remarks that the wishy washy nature of people in the church bring God’s judgments against them whether they see it or not. Swear and un-swear, do and undo. Protest for Christ today and accommodate Antichrist tomorrow. As if breach of our covenant dissolved our engagements. And because we have broken once with God, we were never bound afterward to keep our word, and our oaths. He shows that we may not tempt God in this. He that swears he knows not what will observe he cares not how. Ignorant making of an oath will end in unconscionable breaking of the same.