untill the holy Seed will be wholly corrupted and the Purity if not the Constitution of these Churches be greatly endangered if not lost It is sad to consider how much many Churches are already corrupted by the Licentiousness and Profaneness of many if not most of the Children of the Covenant Many if not most of the sins of Youth which are many of them some of the most flagitious sins of the Times are become the sins of Churches and the guilt of them doth lye heavily upon Churches with this heavy aggravation that they are committed through the neglect of duty towards them by the due exercise of Discipline If yet there be any hope in Israel concerning this thing as it is spoken of a very difficult Point of Reformation Ezra 10.2 I say if there be any hope of Reformation in this matter it must be by a holy religious saving Education of the Children of the Covenant and that both in Private and in Publick Doubtless there is an extraordinary obligation upon Covenant-Parents to train up their Children for God and a great motive it is unto all care labour and diligence unto such Religious Family-Education for such Parents to consider that their Children are Children of the Covenant and in this fense Gods Children as Ezek. 16.20 21. and the Children of the Promise Acts 2.39 and so under a special Promise of saving grace and blessing on the one hand it is a very sad and lamentable consideration unto any Religiouâ—â—â—ent to consider that his Children should through his neglect 〈◊〉 â—â—ucation be instrumental by their Profaneness and wickedness 〈◊〉 corrput pollute and defile the Church of God O if ever you would do any thing for the recovery and Propagation of these Churches labour herein The corruption of Churches doth begin in Families and it there be no hope of Family Reformation there is no hope of Church Reformation It is indeed sad to consider how many Families are already grown incorrigible and incurable Labour to imitate faithful Abraham Gen. 18.19 But that which I chiefly intend in this Particular is Publick Eaucation if I may so call it Surely Churches do owe much duty unto the Children of the Covenant commonly styled The Children of the Church they are doubtless the Subject of the especial care and industry of the Presbytery to be watched over warned instructed admonished both Privately and Publickly Churches also are to own them and acknowledge them visibly as they do gradually grow up unto maturity and capacity unto Church-watch and Priviledges If they be in any wise under the Covenant and so of the visible Kingdome of Christ they must needs be under his Rule and Government which is no way rightly administred but by the regular exercise of Discipline in Instituted Churches O they have been very unhappy Controversies to these Churches whereby the vigorous exercise of Discipline unto these hath been so long demurred and delayed that very many of them are grown up unto such an height and strength in Profaneness that they have even broken and cast off the Yoke of Christs Government in his Church and are grown incorrigible and incurable by Discipline And truly this neglect is grown so great and general at least in some Churches that there is very little hope of the recovery of the vigorous effectual exercise of Discipline toward them So that the current of the corruption of the Generation is likely to break in like a flood upon the Churches at this breach and in short time to carry all before it It is one of the most fatal signs which is upon these Churches that this one evil is likely to prove both ruining and remediless and is the more sadly signal because we are no more sensible of it and no more concerned by our Prayers and Endeavours to Reform it Let me say The Progress of the Covenant the Propagation of Churches the Preservation of Churches under their deepest defection in their lowest condition it must be by the succession of an holy Seed Isa 6.13 So the holy Seed shall be the substance thereof If we Vnchurch them either Doctrinally or Practically by the general and total neglect of them and our duty toward them we do thereby lay the foundation of the Apostacy both of these Churches and of the whole Generation 5. Labour unto the promotion and progress of the work of Reformation by a full faithful and religious improvement of your Christian Liberty There is a Spirit and Principle of Liberty in the hearts of all sincere Christians whom Christ hath made free indeed Joh. 8.36 Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 There is a very large and necessary use and exercise of this Spirit and Principle of Liberty in our whole Christian Conversation especially in all our religious converse with God and men Gal. 5.13 For Brethren ye have been called unto liberty Our Christian Liberty is regulated most exactly and strictly by Rules and Precepts in the Word of God there is a compleat directory for the exercise of our Christian Liberty in the Word of God which is the perfect law of liberty Jam. 1.25 Our habitual conformity to this Law of Liberty is the chief Principle of Liberty and our Practical Subjection to the Law of Liberty is the chief Practise or Exercise of our Liberty This Liberty is alwayes acted under the Power and Authority of Divine Truth Joh. 8.22 Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free Jam. 2.12 So speak and so do judged by the law of liberty This Christian Liberty doth not give men leave to believe Profess and Practise what they will as Libertines do vainly suppose and from thence plead for a Licentious Liberty of Conscience and a boundless Latitude both of Profession and Practise in matters of Religion True Christian Liberty holdeth Conscience fast bound to the Rule there are Priviledges and Immunities commonly called Christian Liberties in and about which our Christian Liberty is to be exercised as the proper Subject of this Liberty Those we must hold keep and stand fust in Gal. 5.1 Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free And we must be careful to exercise our Christian Liberty in a way of Gospel-order Liberty and Order are inseparable in the conversation of a Christian it is the Liberty of Order our Liberty is laid out and limitted by Order those therefore that do plead for Liberty unto the subversion of Order are Libertines and dangerous Enemies unto Liberty We must also exercise and improve our Christian Liberty in a way of full subjection unto the Power Rule and Government of Christ Ministerially exercised in his Church in the Administration of all his ordinances as the free Subjects of his Spiritual Kingdome Those who rise up in a way of opposition unto or rebellion against the Power of Christ regularly exercised in his Church under pretence of the defence of their Liberty are no true friends to true Liberty VVe
it is a matter of very sad Consideration unto us that the work of Conversion doth fail and is failing more and more in many if not in most Congregations although we have cause with thankfulness to acknowledge the Presence and Power of the Spirit of God so far with his Ministry that there is yet some fruit of their labour appearing in the work of Conversion but alas not with proportion unto the great increase of the generation O how rarely do we hear of a sound work of Conversion held forth with full and clear demonstration of the sincerity of it O how few such Converts are there as do evidence their Conversion by a powerful practical Profession of Religion Multitudes there are growing up in their Ignorance Atheism Unbelief and Profaneness who receive no impression at all by the Word of God and many others who do receive some degrees of common grace who yet fall away by Spiritual Apostacy who prove either vain profane Professors or close Hypocrites or gross Apostates Truly unless God is infinite Mercy revive and uphold the work of Conversion there will be no hope we shall perish under this our Spiritual Apostacy which is begun for if the work of Conversion fail all the sins of the Times will be multiplied and aggravated and unconverted sinners will be in just Judgement given up to God unto the power of those sins so that our sins will become our plagues and those incurable O that all unconverted sinners might be moved to wait earnestly upon God in the improvement of all means for converting grace and bemoan themselves before God under their Unregeneracy Impanitency Unbelief then there would be hope in our end Jer. 31.17 18. There is hope in thine end saith the Lord It follows I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Turn thou me and I shall be turned the onely hope which was and which yet remains in the End of this people it ariseth from the reviving of the work of Conversion amongst them this shall be their resurrection And this seems to be a promise of that glorious dispensation of converting grace which shall be effectual unto their last Conversion This hope there is yet in our end that the work of Conversion shall yet have a powerful progress in these Churches and then we shall return and revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine Hos 14.7 Secondly In order unto the promotion and progress of the Work of Reformation we must renew our Covenant with God By Covenant here understand the Covenant of Grace as it is constituted and confirmed and savingly dispensed in by and through the Lord Jesus Christ as the onely Mediator thereof together with all the Means both of the visible and Spiritual dispensation thereof in a way of holy Communion with God and Saints That Covenant whereby God is our God and we his People Now this Covenant it is alwayes in some degree or other violated and broken by defection and apostacy and therefore God calleth it Forsaking of his Covenant Jer. 22.9 Breaking of his Covenant Jer. 31.32 Trangressing of his Covenant Hos 6.7 Hence when God doth reject any people for their Apostacy he is said to break his Covenant with them Zech. 11.10 Hence also we reade that the people of God have alwayes perfected the work of Reformation by renewing their Covenant with God 2 Kings 11.17 23.3 And when God gives reforming grace he alwayes renews his Covenant with his people Jer. 31.33 God singled out our Fathers and separated them unto himself in a more peculiar manner as a people with whom he did particularly as it were personally renew his Covenant and more amply and explicitly confirm it that in renewing of it he might more fully reveal it and restore it unto the more pure and primitive way of Administration according to his own Institution We cannot say when where or with whom God hath in more special grace and favour renewed his Covenant that they might be a special people unto himself above all people as Deut. 7.6 Therefore if we hope for the confirmation of Gods Covenant with us it is our duty after our defection to renew it 1. It is the work of sincere Christians who are actually and personally in Covenant with God who yet have by the omission of covenant-Covenant-duties and by the commission of Covenant-breaking sins walked loosely remissly unconstantly unsteadfastly and in all respects very unworthily under Gods holy Covenant to renew your Covenant with God by the renewed stipulation of your Souls unto God under the Soul-binding Obligations of the Covenant To renew your Covenant-Engagements unto God under the renewed sense experience power and efficacy of New-Covenant grace by which you have had the experimental knowledge of Gods Covenant in the saving Mystery and Sufficiency of it as a Covenant of Life as in Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with those that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant and whereby God doth put his Covenant write his Covenant in your hearts Jer 31.33 Thus renew your Covenant by Faith with an holy resolution to cleave unto God fully and firmly to walk with God closely and constantly in his holy Covenant with fear and reverence holily humbly chearfully joyfully thankfully faithfully and fruitfully in a way of Communion with full and abundant satisfaction in your Interest in and enjoyment of God as a God in Covenant as David 2 Sam. 23.5 For this is all my salvation and all my desire O Christians it is your work to uphold Gods Covenant in the life spirit and power of it and unto all the spiritual and saving ends of it as a Covenant of life in these Churches 2. It is the duty of all those who are not yet savingly in Covenant with God actually personally and professedly to take hold upon the Covenant Gods Covenant it must be thus renewed with his Church in every Age of it in order unto the continuation and succession of it from generation to generation And thus to renew the Covenant is the proper work of this Generation of those who are the Children of the Covenant that is to lay hold upon the Covenant by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the onely Mediates of the Covenant and in God through Jesus Christ as a God in Covenant with you and so by giving up your selves into God under the Bond of his Covenant to walk with him and to live unto him in a way of Faith and Gospel-obedience as his Covenant people Thus to lay hold on Gods Covenant and actually personally and professedly to Enter into Covenant with God is the Foundation of your being and standing before God as his people and indeed of your whole Religion O how many be there of this Generation growing and grown up in these Churches under the visible dispensation of the Covenant who do rest and trust and boast in their visible Covenant relation and all the while live without saving Covenant-relation unto
open and professed Enemies unto pure Churches Worship and Ordinances are arisen unto so high a degree of bold Presumption among us and that notwithstanding they know that Publick Authority is by good and wholsome Laws and so by Oath and so by Conscience and by divers obligations both Civil and Sacred engaged against them I am no Casuist in the great Case of Toleration neither shall I undertake either to state dispute or decide that Question what is in it self or in divers respects or cases at divers times and places either Tolerable or Intolerable in matters disputable But this I take to be undeniable That gross bold scandalous presumptuous transgression of any one or more or all the Commandments of the First Table perpetrated and persisted in with an high hand notwithstanding all due means of Conviction used and against clear light held forth and manifestly under the Prevailing Power of a Spirit of Errour with malignity in open opposition to the Truth the true Churches worship and ordinances of Christ I say I take it to be unquestionable That such transgression it is Intolerable Such I take to be the transgression of those who do grosly and scandalously profane any of the holy Ordinances of Christ in the Administration of them presuming to offer strange fire but much more of those who do both professedly and practically deny most if not all Fundamentals both of Faith and Order and are known and acknowledged so to do by all the Reformed Churches in the world who are in their wayes of corrupt worship no less the Synagogue of Satan then those in Rev. 2.9 Now I say if such Transgressors and Transgressions should after the long labour and patience of these Churches in a strong and stedfast encounter and conflict with this Temptation at last prevail to break open a door unto corrupt worship by Teaching Seducing Tempting and Enticing others unto corrupt Communion with them according to the Doctrine of Balaam to cast a stumbling block before the people of the Lord as Rev. 2.14 I say if this should come to pass our case would be exceeding dangerous especially this coming upon us in our declining and languishing state when we have lost so much of our first life and love that we have soarcely strength enough left to reinforce our former Zeal and Courage in the Encounter yea and at such a time when the Generation is lamentably exposed by the sins of the Times which are all tempting unto a Compliance with such a Temptation and are too much without grace to resist it and in a very unsetled state as to their standing before God under his Covenant even standing upon the dangerous Precipice of a gross Apostacy the very opportunity for Satan to over throw us by such a Temptation Surely if it be thus or likely to be thus then there is very great need of watchsulness against this Temptation Neither let it be slighted or accounted a light thing for such Profanations and Abominations if Indulged will become the sins of the Land and the guilt and Punishment of them will lye and fall exceeding heavy upon the Land in a day of wrath O they will pull down wrath upon this Land and upon this People and the filth of them will pollute and defile the Land it will be such Pollution as will not be purged away without fire the guilt and filth of corrupt worship is not purged away without the fire and the fornace And that which is most Perillous it is the universal diffusion of the Corruption and Contagion of corrupt worship by the subtile and insensible infusion and influence of a Spirit of Libertinism a Spirit and Principle it is of all other most dangerous and destructive unto Pure Churches and will soon open a wide door unto all kinde of Abominations for all false worships although they seem in themselves to be contrary Extremes yet they all agree in this Principle of Libertinism and will break in at that door It will be in vain for us to hope for or Promise our selves Security from gross Superstition and Ceremony if we will leave open this door or admit of a contrary Extreme in corrupt worship And truly if we should give way unto any kinde it will be just with God to give us up Judicially unto all kindes of corrupt worship And let me adde That a Spirit of Libertinism if it prevail will in the end bring in all kinde of Licentiousness and Profaneness for it is a Womb big with all kinde of Abominations for corruption in Worship and conruption in Manners do alwayes grow and go together See at large Ezck. 22. beginning Although Libertinism doth promise much Liberty yet it bringeth into bondage to Corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 It doth gender altogether unto bondage O that these Churches may recover their first Zeal against Libertinism both the Spirit Principle and Practise of it and so against all corrupt worship which hath been the common destruction of Reformed Churches and will most certainly be of these Churches if it should break in upon us O let us consider we have been hither unto a People extraordinarily Priviledged with Immunity from corrupt worship we are yet free from any foraign or forcible Temptation thereunto we have yet all Advantages and Encouragements to withstand it and to keep it out If we admit of will-worship we shall lose all the glorious work of Reformation which our Fathers laboured in which consisted chiefly in Separation from corrupt Worship we shall at once reze the Foundation and ruine the Superstructure of these Churches which in the very Constitution were set up and stand in a way of opposition unto corrupt worship such Churches will not cannot bear any degree of corrupt worship VVill-worship it would even destroy our very Religion and reduce this VVilderness-People unto a kinde of Heathenism O wo unto us if we admit of will worship we shall soon fill up the measure of our sin and prepare our selves for Judgement even wrath to the utmost O wo unto New-England if ever God be provoked to revenge this quarrel of his Covenant upon us according to that Threatning Lev. 26.25 If we admit of will-worship New-England will become the shame and scandal of Religion and of all Reformed Churches the Reproach of the Christian world the Scorn and Triumph of Antichrist and in all respects a most sinful and miserable People Thus we are to do our first works in all things pertaining to the worship of God 4. Labour unto the promotion and progress of the work of Reformation by the full and faithful discharge of duty to the Children of the Covenant multiplying and growing up under the Covenant in those Churches under how great and general omission of duty towards them we have cause seriously and sadly to consider and to lament Truly it is much to be feared that we shall so long doubt and dispute the Interest and Right of fuch Children and controvert and neglect our duty towards them
of Israel who offer themselves willingly to the help of the Lord in the Work of Reformation in this time of general defection And surely this is the greatest Trust that we repose in you and therefore the highest hope expectation confidence and dependance that we place upon you as our Rulers Governours Leaders Publick Benefactors and Fathers That you will by the utmost improvement of your Power and Interest advance and establish the true pure and holy Worship of God and so far as it concerneth you not suffer these Churches no not this People to be corrupted no not this Land to be polluted and defiled with Will-worship A Religious Reforming Magistracy hath hither unto been our Crowning Mercy if God set You over us in mercy he will make you such a Magistracy And therefore our Prayers for you shall ever be That he that is the Light of Israel will be a Light unto you that you may be as the Light of Israel unto us And that you may be abundantly influenced with a Spirit of Government from Him whose all Government is that you may receive a large portion of that Spirit which resteth upon Him even a Spirit of Wisdome and Vnderstanding a Spirit of Counsel and of Might a Spirit of Knowledge and of the fear of the Lord that you may be of a quick understanding in his fear And that in your measure also Righteousness may be the girdle of your loins and Faithfulness the girdle of your reins that so you may feed and lead this people both in the skilfulness of your hand and the integrity of your hearts We also shall pray That you may be kept and carried above all the Temptations and Provocations of our Murmurings Dissentions and Rebellions that God may never be angry with you for our sakes and that it may never go ill with you for our sakes as also above all your own frailties and infirmities that God may never be provoked by our sins to suffer you to fall as once he did holy David that he might punish Israel We wish you all the blessings which those who are just ruling in the fear of God may expect that we might behold you as the Light of the Morning When the Sun riseth a Morning without Clouds that the Anniversary Revolution of this Government by our Annuall Election may be unto us as the rising Sun by which we may receive Influences of Divine Blessing which may cause us to grow up as the tender grass by the clear shining after rain that in your dayes the righteous may flourish and abundance of peace that we may enjoy Prosperity and Tranquility under this Magistracy and that there may be a peaceful and prosperous Succession of it from Generation to Generation that God continuing unto us our Judges as at the first and our Counsellers as at the beginning we may remain to be a City of Righteousness and a faithful City II. I shall take leave to propose this Exhortation unto the Ministry of these Churches nextly concerned as Publick Reformers in the Work of Reformation It is proposed in the Text directly To the Angel of the Church of Ephesus The Angels of the Churches are particularly directed unto and charged with this Work in the several Churches The first Ministry of these Churches it was eminently a Reforming Ministry extraordinarily qualified unto and improved in the Work of Reformation God made them great Reformers and wrought a great Work of Reformation by them and they lived faithfully labouring in that Work unto the death though not without some discouragement and some diminution of their joy and comfort from a prae-apprehension yea from some present appearance of the sad signs of the defection of these Churches before their departure That Ministry those Ministers they are generally departed some few here and there one onely of that Ancient Old England-Ministry remaining with us as the Crown and Ornament of our New-England-Presbytery And truly the remembrance of the departure of that Ministry with the signal Circumstances and said Consequences thereof may justly move lamentation they being divers of them carried away as it were in Chariots of sire I mean by an Anticipation of their translation in the ordinary course of Nature and when in the strength and travail of their Ministerial Labours for these Churches and with this Generation bearing a full clear Testimony unto the great duties and against the great sins of the Times and standing in the Gap before God to turn away impending Judgements Their Praise is yet fresh and flourishing in these Churches being legible in living Epistles of Commendation written not with Ink but by the Spirit of the living God They have a living Memory and a lasting Monument in every godly heart who hath experienced the converting quickning comforting presence and power of the Spirit in their Ministration They are departed and we have wept over their faces with that Lamentation My father my father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsmen thereof The Burthen of the Work of the Ministry and so of this great Work of Reformation in these Churches it now resteth upon you who are the present standing Ministry this New-England Ministry which is Coaevall and Coaetaneous with this New-England Generation Amongst whom I am not worthy to be mentioned as one though with the utmost expression of diminution as less then the least of those whom God hath called forth to take a part of this Ministry and therefore most unmeet and unworthy thus to speak unto you yet I am bold to beseech you to bear this Exhortation from the Lord Jesus Christ in whose Name I speak and say O Labour to be a Reforming Ministry Although there hath been a change of Ministers in most of the Churches yet we hope there is not a change of the Ministry but that the same Ministry is still remaining that is a Ministry of the same Constitution Spirit Principles Minde Judgement and Practise in all things pertaining to the Work of the Ministry in these Churches a Ministry which hath received not onely the Mantle but a portion of the Spirit of Elijah And therefore you are engaged to undertake to uphold and to carry on the same Work of Reformation in all the parts of it and to labour unto the progress of it in the Spirit and Power of it so far as you are concerned respecting either Doctrine Profession or Practise More especially God expecteth that you should promote the Work of Reformation in your several Churches and Congregations by the regular and thorough exercise of the Power of Christ committed unto you in the Administration of Doctrine and Worship which is the great Trust and Charge committed unto you to keep 1 Tim. 6.20 This is the Rod of his strength out of Zion whereby his people are made a willing people in the day of his power Psal 110.2 3. Exalt Christ by the due exercise of his Power in his Name that Christ may reign Ministerially in these Churches The
hath this peculiar unto it that it bears the Style and Inscription of this great Prophet the Lord Jesus Christ himself Chap. 1.1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ And indeed it bears a very lively impression of his Image as it were in the Frontispiece of it drawn out to the Life by a twofold description of him in his Person Office and Work Chap. 1. ver 5 6 7 8. ver 13 14 15 16 as also throughout the whole Book respecting both the Matter of it and the Manner of delivery in the Mystery and Majesty of it It hath also this peculiar Eminency and Excellency that it contains a Systeme or the Sum of all Gospel Prophesie It is a Prophetical Revelation of all Mysteries of Divine Dispensation in the whole Series and Succession of it in every Age and Generation and in every state and condition of the Church respecting both the Propagation of his Kingdome and the destruction of his Enemies untill all the whole Mystery of God be finished and Time shall be no longer at least untill the last and utmost Prophetical Period It is the last great and general Prophesie which doth compleat the Canon of Holy Writ intimated Chap. 22.18 Therefore blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie c. Chap. 1.3 John the beloved and bosome Disciple and last Apostle is the Minister of this Revelation Chap. 1. ver 1. therefore the Dedication of it is from John unto the Seven Churches in Asia Chap. 1. v. 4. John to the Seven Churches in Asia This general or indefinite Dedication makes way for the particular Inscription of an Epistle unto the several Angels of those Churches in the 2d and 3d Chapters Our Text lyes in the first of these Epistles inscribed Vnto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Chap. 2.1 I shall not detain you with any discourse concerning the Scituation of the City or Typical Relation of the Church of Ephesus nor stay upon an Artificial Resolution of the Context by an Analytical Exposition of the Epistle which are vulgar with Expositors The way to our Text is easie and open it lyes in that part of the Epistle which is Narrative The words as to Mode of expression they are Monitory and withall highly Imperative or Commanding The duty commanded it is to labour according to direction given unto a full and through Restitution from that Declension and Defection in Religion which that Church was fallen into In order hereunto three things are proposed in the words as parts of the work and duty commanded to be done 1. An awakening sight and sense of their declension and defection in these words Remember from whence thou art fallen The word Remember here it imports an awakening convincing Remembrance it is often used in Scripture to express a conscience and conviction of sin Ezek. 16.61 63. from whence thou art fallen or elapsed slidden backslidden plainly signifying Backsliding and Apostacy 2. A penitential Confession of and humiliation under the sin of their declension and defection in this word Repent It signifies Repentance in the proper act of it which is a sad and solemn recognition of and reflection upon our past evil actions with Confession and Humiliation 3. Reformation in these words Do the first werks which signifie Reformation in the proper act of it positive practical Reformation Remember from whence thou art fallen repent and do the first works It is as if our Lord Jesus Christ should have said unto this Angel and Church of Ephesus Although thou hast been commendable and I have commended thee for thy strong and stedfast perseverance by the great labour of thy Faith and Patience in the sincere pure and powerful Profession of the Gospel respecting both Doctrine and Worship with extraordinary Zeal against Heresie and Apostacy Hereticks and Apostates and that also with extraordinary Courage and Constancy under many great Temptations and much and great Tribulation and although thou hast been extraordinarily beautified and blessed with my Presence in the exercise of my Kingly and Prophetical Office though thou hast been Eminent yea Excellent among the Churches and although thou dost yet hold up thy Profession in the external Form of it and dost therefore still deserve some Commendation Yet know O Ephesus that thou art fallen thou hast lest thy first love thou hast lost thy first life thou hast deserted thy first works thou art not what thou hast been thou art fallen into a state frame and way of backsliding and Apostacy Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and labour to recover thy self speedily from thy declension and defection and to retrive thy pristine and primitive Profession and practise of Religion unto its former internal and spiritual Life and Power from which it is chiefly that thou art fallen or else I will withdraw my gracious Presence from thee and come unto thee quickly in my wrath and devest thee of all thy Priviledges Church-Order Ordinances and Administrations of the Dignity and Beauty yea of the very Being of a Church by the Amoture of the Candlestick Remember from whence thou art fallen c. The words thus plainly opening themselves unto us afford us this Doctrine Doct. That it is the present and most important Duty and Concernment of any Collapsing or Back-sliding Church or Churches to labour under an Awakening Convincing sight and sense or under an Awakening Conviction of their Declension and Defection unto a full and through Restitution from it by Repentance and Reformation The Text it self is so good a Doctrine it doth seem needless to invert the terms of it It is enough to say That it is the work and duty of any Church or Churches which are in the like declining and decaying estate which this Church of Ephesus was in to Remember from whence they are fallen to repent and to do their first works It is the present instant and most important duty it is indeed all the work and duty which our Lord Jesus Christ doth commend and propound unto and press upon this Church in this whole Epistle and so unto and upon all other Churches in the like state and he doth propose it plainly and fully in all the parts of it that they might have a full and distinct understanding of it and direction unto it that they might be through and effectual in the pursuance and performance of it He proposeth it also as a most important duty and concernment as that upon which depended their very Being and Standing as a Candlestick amongst the Candlesticks as a Church among the Churches He proposeth it as a work and duty which they had yet great advantage and encouragement to labour in under the powerful exercise of his Kingly and Prophetical Office and therefore he represents himself unto this declining Church for their encouragement as walking amidst the golden Candlesticks and bolding the Stars in his right hand that is in his full and whole Sufficiency to uphold his Church in its
from whence thou art fallen So to the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.18 Anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see that is See and be sensible of thy defection God hath made it the work of divers of his faithful Servants whom he hath of late sent and set to speak upon this Occasion in this general Assembly to Awaken and to Couvince to Plead with us in a way of Conviction to Cry aloud not to spare to lift their voices like a Trumpet to shew New-England their transgressions and this people their sins Isa 58.2 and surely untill we are thus awakened and convinced there will be no hope of Reformation Exhort II. Repent So remember from whence thou art fallen as to Repent It must be a Penitential Remembrance such a remembrance as doth both move and lead to Repentance Ezek. 16.61 Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed ver 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame so Ezek. 6.9 20 43. When and where there is such an awakening convincing Remembrance there will be Repentance Surely God expects and calls for a deep thorough general Repentance Repentance in all the parts of it the full exercise of it the whole work of it unto all the fruits effects and ends of it expressed in Confession Contrition Humiliation Supplication from a right Spirit of Repentance God calls for heart-breaking heart-rending Repentance Jol 2.12 Rend your hearts and not your garments God expects to hear New-England as Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31.19 Surely after I was turned I repented after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded It is impossible that we should Reform except we thus Repent for the foundation of the whole work of Reformation is laid in Repentance the work of Reformation is wrought in Repentance and therefore our Lord Jesus Christ layes the burthen of all the work upon Repentance in the Text Except thou repent Exhort III. Do the first works So remember from whence thou art fallen and repent as to do the first works that is Reform And here chiefly lyes my present business viz. in pressing this part of the Exhortation And the rather I shall take leave to insist a while upon it as a suitable and seasonable word because we have been Originally a Reforming and a Reformed people a people separated and set apart by God to be the Subject of a very great and glorious Work of Reformation Reformation hath been the design of New-England and therefore Reformation it is the Profession of New-England This work of Reformation it hath been especially by this Generation not onely much neglected but even almost utterly deserted by a general defection and declension which we are fallen into so that we are now become a declining and declined people There hath been and there is a general Complaint and Cry for want of Reformation it is generally confessed and acknowledged that there is an absolute necessity of a speedy thorough Reformation and that without it we are an undone people We have in our publick Solemnities made many solemn Vows and Promises of Reformation unto God wherein we have too much flattered him with our lips and lied unto him with our tongues whilst our hearts have not been stedfast with him there is yet therefore an utter total neglect and defect of Reformation no kinde no degree of Reformation as little and in some respects less hope and probability thereof then ever before and truly without speedy Reformation our defection is likely to prove irreparable and irrecoverable sin and sinners growing every day more and more incorrigible and incurable and the heart of the Generation more and more corrupted with a Spirit of Profaneness and Apostacy and so bent to back sliding Hos 11.7 insomuch that it is too likely to be a perpetual backsliding And that which is yet more then all and most of all pressing it is the danger that we are in of being given up justly and judicially by God unto a spirit frame and way of Back-sliding and Apostacy if we do not speedly reform Has 4.16 Ephraine back slideth like a back-sliding-heifer Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Psal 81.11 So be gave them up to their own harts lusts Deut. 32.20 I will hide my face from them I will see what their end will be q.d. I will have no more to do with them in a way of grace and mercy I will leave them to themselves to finish their Apostacy to fill up the measure of their iniquity I will see what miserable lamentable end they will bring themselves unto and truly if so then wo unto us we shall soon destroy our selves But yet God is in mercy waiting that he may be gracious Isa 30.13 and therefore that which God is yet calling for looking for yea to speak after the manner of men that which God is longing for it is out Reformation as Jer. 13.27 O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be These Considerations may move our Attention unto this Exhortation And here I shall take leave to speak unto Reformation in general and so not onely unto a restitution from our defection but the progress of the Work of Reformation God expects not onely that we should do our first works but that our last works should be more then our first which was the Commendation of the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2.19 I shall therefore propose some general duties to be laboured in in order unto Reformation and endeavour as God shall help to suit my Discourse herein unto the present condition of this people and these Churches First It should be our labour to get a new Heart and new Spirit This is the life and spirit of the work of Reformation Ezek. 18.30 31. Repent and turn your selves from your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine and make you a new heart and a new spirit for why will ye die O horse of Israel When God doth work reforming grace and renew his Covenant with his people upon terms of Reformation he doth first take away the corrupt hard impenitent unbelieving backsliding apostatizing heart and gives them a new heart and a new spirit Jer. 31.33 32.39 Ezek. 11.19 36.26 The foundation of the work of Reformation it must be laid in a new heart because the original of our defection and Apostacy it is in the heart and therefore God every-where complaineth of that backsliding people that they had an uncircumcised heart Jer. 9.26 a whorish heart Ezek. 6.9 that their heart was set upon their iniquity Hos 4.8 Truly so it is the very heart of New-England is changed and exceedingly corrupted with the sins of the Times there is a Spirit of Profaneness a Spirit of Pride a Spirit of Worldliness a Spirit of Sensuality a Spirit of Gainsaying and Rebellion a Spirit of Libertinism a Spirit of Carnality Formality Hypocrisie and Spiritual
Idolatry in the Worship of God Sinners are spâ—â—â—ed unto and with the sins of the Times those sins are even rooted and grounded in the Spirit of the Generation as Jer. 17.1 The sin of Judah it is graven upon the table of their heart so that there is no hope of Reformation except we make us a new heart and a new spirit And truly this is the reason that we do not reform that we cannot reform though we do promise and vow Reformation unto God Deut. 5.29 This people have well said O that there were such an heart in them q.d. the great thing which this people want is an heart Truly so the great thing which New-England doth want it is a new Heart and a new Spirit Here then we must begin and in order hereunto 1. All sincere Christians must begin this work of Heart-reformation by labouring to recover your Souls out of your Spiritual Declensions in grace and in the life and power of godliness This Spiritual Declension it is in the first and most strict and proper sense that having of our first love reproved in the Context and therefore restitution from this Spiritual Declension it is in the first most strict and proper sense Doing of our first works commended in the Text and therefore sincere Christians are first and most properly concerned in this duty of doing of their first works How generally and deeply Christians are thus declined both their hearts and lives do sadly testifie It is the great and general complaint of all sensible Christians O their decayes and declensions hence little of the life and activity of grace hardly enough to evidence the sincerity of it clearly and comfortably either to themselves or others little of the life of Obedience either in duties of Religion or Righteousness much Carnality Formality Hypocrisie in the Worship of God both in publick private and in seeret in all their Converse and Communion both with God and Saints their Souls languishing under a Spiritual Consumption and those things which remain even ready to die Rev 3.2 It is true first of Christians then of Churches in this sense That there is a universal deadness upon the hearts of Churches hence great unprofitableness and unfruitfulness under all Ordinances sin more unmortified then ever their hearts and lives deeply corrupted with the sins of the Times and many Christians fallen into a very dangerous way of Communion with and Conformity unto the wicked World and all this appearing upon some of those whose first life love sincerity purity and eminency in grace and godliness was sometimes a Beauty unto these Churches O how is our gold become dim and our fine gold changed Lam. 4.1 How is our silver become dross and our wine mined with water Isa 1.22 How are Zions Nazarites changed in their visage Lam. 4.7 How are the faces the Countenance the Conversation of many Christians changed O Christians what shall we say what shall we do what will become of us yea what will become of Religion in this next succeeding generation If you live and die under your declensions as truly many Christians are likely to do being fallen into such deep security under their declensions that they are not like to be awakened untill the Cry be made at Midnight The Bridegroom cometh and must bestir themselves very hard to trim their Lamps in time to enter in with him O Christians It is your Spiritual Declension that is the main root of the degeneracy of this Noble Vine Jer. 2.21 It is your leaving of your first love which doth make way for the removal of the Candlestick your Spiritual declension will lead the way unto and lay the foundation for the general and total defection of these Churches in succeeding generations therefore as the defection hath been in part begun by your declension so the work of Reformation it must be begun by your restitution It is impossible that ever these Churches should be restored unto their first Spiritual prosperity and flourishing state unless Christians do first recover their first love life sincerity fervency purity activity eminency in the exercise of grace and in the performance of duty and in all practical piety both in heart and life O how can you hope to lye down in your Graves with peace and comfort before you have done what in you lyeth in the Work of Reformation How can you die in peace under your Spiritual declensions and thereby leave Religion decaying and dying and these Churches and this Generation your poor Posterity sinking under a general and total defection Sure in vain and frustrate will be all your prayers desires hopes of a Reformation except that you Christians do thus begin and lay the foundation of the work in your own hearts before you die 2. The work of Heart-reformation or making of a new heart consisteth in Conversion and Regeneration This is the most full and proper sense of those words Ezek. 18.31 Make ye a new heart and new spirit for why will ye die so Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die It is a Call to the unconverted when God doth restore his people from any deep and general defection and renew his Covenant with them he doth promise and actually pour out abundance of converting grace and so revive and renew the work of Conversion So Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will take the flony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh I will put my Spirit within you Let me be hold to say If ever these Churches be throughly recovered it will be it must be by such a dispensation of converting grace unto an unconverted generation It is Unregeneracy that is the radical and total degeneracy of any generation whereby it is wholly turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto the Lord. Here will be our deepest and most dangerous defection and that which will prove inevitably ruining unto these Churches unless the Lord have mercy upon us O our unbelief and disobedience unto the Gospel our rejection of Christ and his Kingdome It is a most sad and lamentable sign that these Churches and Religion are falling into an irreparable irrecoverable decay That there are so many of the generation growing up under the Ministry of the Word and the improvement of all means of grace in their Vnregeneracy under the prevailing power of Spiritual Apostacy and as we have cause to fear under a dreadful dispensation of divine Justice by Spiritual Plagues and Judgements being justly given up by God unto a spirit frame and way of unprofitableness under a Judicial Ministry sent to make their heart fat lest they should be converted as Isa 6.10 O it is a fearful word Lest they should see with their eyes c. and convert and be healed Observe there is no help no healing for any people if the work of Conversion cease amongst them Truly
Constitution and in the pure and powerful Administration both of Doctrine and Worship and by a powerful and effectual dispensation of his Spirit and Grace to restore and recover them from their present declension and defection He also proposeth it as a work and duty requiring present instant dispatch which must be quickly done and he presseth it upon penalty of Unchurching Judgements and so upon peril of gross open total and final Apostacy implied in the removal of the Candlestick and finally moving of them hereunto by a great and most gracious Promise of perseverance in case of obedience ver 7. To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Thus you see how full both the Text and the Context are of this Doctrine And this is also the great work and duty which God did propound and press by all his Prophets upon the Church of old in their declining and decaying state which for many Ages together they were in It was Gods great work by the Ministry of those great Prophets whose Prophesies are recorded in Scripture to convince them of their Back-slidings and Apostacy and to perswade them to return by Repentance and Reformation The general word of the Lord by those Prophets it was Turn O backsliding children Return O backsliding Israil Repent and turn ye Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die c. Jer. 3.12 14 22. 4.1 18.11 Ezek 14.6 33.11 Hos 12.6 14.1 It was the great work of those Prophets to bring back this people unto God 2 Chron. 24.19 Yet he sent Prophets to them to bring them again to the Lord. It was the general cry of all the Prophets Zech. 1.3 4. Turn ye now unto me saith the Lord c. Be not as your fathers unto whom the former Prophets cried Turn ye now Observe Repentance and Reformation it was the general cry of the Prophets to that backsliding people whence it doth appear that it was their great and main work and duty to Repent and Reform I might further demonstrate argue and prove this Doctrine from the suitableness of this work and duty unto a back sliding people it is the proper work of such a people as also from the necessity of it and from the good and benefit of it and from all Topicks of Reasons and Arguments but it being of undeniable and therefore of unquestionable verity I shall take leave for brevity's sake to pretermit what might or ought to be spoken for the more full Proof and Explication thereof and proceed unto Application Wherein I shall apply my self unto the Churches and unto the People of New-England so far at least as they may be spoken unto in one General Assembly and I shall address my self unto You as in the Name so in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ by this threefold Exhortation 1. Remember from whence thou art fallen 2. Repent 3. Do the first works These Epistles and so these Exhortations were directed to the Churches Christ requires and calls for the Attention of the Churches ver 7. He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches I am emboldened therefore to propose and press this general Exhortation unto and upon the Churches because the Text the Doctrine the Occasion and the Opportunity do lead me unto it and because I have also thought that God doth call me unto it in the Improvement of such a Text upon such an Occasion in such an Assembly Exhort I. Remember from whence thou art fallen Let this be an Awakening Watch-word from our Lord Jesus Christ unto these slumbering Churches in this Midnight of deep Security wherein the generality both of Christians and Churches are disposing yea composing of themselves to sleep by indulging themselves unto carnal rest and ease shutting their eyes against all awakening discoveries and stopping their ears against all awakening voices yea although it be the voice of their Beloved as the Spouse Cant. 5.2 3. I sleep but my heart waketh it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Surely an Awakening Watch-word is then most necessary and seasonable and never more then in sleepy and sleeping Times when Judicial Security seemeth to be both one of the greatest Sins and Plagues of the Times when God in just Judgement is pouring out of a spirit of deep sleep and closing the eyes of men as Isa 29.10 and giving a spirit of slumber Rom. 11.8 No doubt but this Church of Ephesus was deeply secure under her deep declension Spiritual declension doth incline both Christians and Churches unto Security whilst the wise Virgins lamps wanted trimming and the foolish Virgins lamps were gone out they all slumbered and slept Mat. 25.5 as Christians or Churches decline so they grow secure and fall asleep The Church of old both Israel and Judah were most prodigiously secure in the depth of their Apostacy the Prophets did prophesie Peace and the people did promise themselves peace untill they had consummated both their Apostacy and Misery Jer. 4.10 6.14 8.11 Ezek. 13.10 16. Truly thus it is too much with us the more sinful we grow the more secure the generality of the Generation growing more and more sensless supine stupid sottish in their security Hence although we hear all kinde of Awakening Voices and see many Awakening Sights though the voice of God doth Cry by his Word as Zech. 1.4 yea though it doth Roar by his Works Amos 3.8 yet we are not awakened Though there be a grievous and general Complaint and Cry of the great Crying sins of the Times yea although our sins do testifie against us unto our very faces Jer. 14.7 Hos 5.5 though our own wickedness doth correct us and our backslidings reprove us that we are forced to see and acknowledge that it is an evil thing and bitter that we have forsaken the Lord our God and that his fear is not in us Jer. 2.19 though we begin to labour and to languish under the sad and lamentable effects and consequences of our sins and are sensible that our transgressions and iniquities are upon us and that we pine away and are likely to perish in them Ezek 33.10 yea although we our selves in our most solemn Addresses unto Heaven do complain and cry out unto God of our sins iniquities Backslidings and Apostacies and verbally and formally express deep Conviction yet we are not awakened nor convinced but sensless and secure still our publick Solemnities performed by many but as Solemn Formalities do lull them to sleep in the deeper Security Isa 58.3 Truly the more means of Conviction the more a secure people are sometimes hardened against Conviction Security it is a great hinderance both unto Repentance and Reformation therefore Christ doth propose this as the first part of the work Remember