Jordan, and the Lord made him to return with two bands. For, if a person
could attain Jacob's spirit, name and sirname would be lovely in their
eyes, covenant and covenanting.

2dly, To those who had put their hands to many sinful covenants in
opposition to this covenant, and such as being in a natural and
unrenewed state, in league with sin and Satan, and in covenant with hell
and death. Those he advised and earnestly obtested to break all their
sinful covenants, to loathe and abhor them, and be humbled for them: and
to come and fall in with this covenant, to say in sincerity that whereas
other lords have had too long dominion over them, henceforth they would
make mention only of the name of the Lord as their Lord; and that their
name should henceforth be _Jacob_, and their sirname _Israel_, and to
sign and seal the same with their oath and subscription. This
exhortation he enforced by the several calls to the work mentioned
before, and by the two following motives: 1st, Because right entering
into, and steadfast keeping of this covenant is the way to a holy life,
and a holy life tends to make a holy nation; for, if we would observe
this covenant sincerely, uniformly, and constantly, we could never be an
unholy, and consequently, never an unhappy people; but it should be
written as a motto upon our walls and gates, JEHOVAH SHAMMAI, _the Lord
is there._ 2d, Because the entering rightly into and due observance of
this covenant would be our strength in the midst of all perplexing
thoughts, whether arising from inward corruptions, or from outward
temptations or dangers; the covenant yielded more satisfaction to David
when dying than a royal diadem, a melodious harp, a puissant army,
strong cities, a numerous offspring, or any earthly comforts could do,
when, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, he supports himself with this, That "though his
house was not so with God," yet He had made with him "an everlasting
covenant, well-ordered in all things, and sure." The keeping of this