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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62960	An exhortation unto reformation amplified, by a discourse concerning the parts and progress of that work, according to the word of God, delivered in a sermon preached in the audience of the General Assembly of the Massachusets colony, at Boston in New-England, May 27, 1674, being the day of election there / by Samvel Torrey ...	Torrey, Samuel, 1632-1707.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.	1674 (1674)	Wing T1916; ESTC R13732	47,259	54

Now we must set to the Work 1. With one heart No hope of Reformation without Vnion Division hath been one great cause of our-defection and will be a total obstruction unto Reformation if it continue we must unite our hearts our hands our strength O if ever we would unite let it be in and unto the Work of Reformation 2. Set unto it with all your hearts and with all your souls Our very hearts and souls must be engaged unto it and in it we must set to it in good earnest as unto a work that must be done we are now brought unto this Dilemma either a timely speedy thorough Reformation or else there will be a general and total defection either Repent and do the first works or otherwise I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of its place except thou repent is the voice of Christ unto these Churches O that we understood and seriously and solemnly considered that we are a lost and undone people without Reformation that we are a helpless hopeless people without Reformation that nothing will recover us from our defection and prevent our destruction by the execution of impending Judgements but onely Reformation O then we should stand trembling before God under the apprehension of the instant urgent necessity of Reformation as Ezra 10.9 And all the people sate in the street of the house of God trembling because of this matter ver 12. Then all the Congregation answered and said with a loud voice As thou hast said so must we do Observe they cried out passionately affectionately So must we do q.d. we are a lost undone people there is no hope no help for us without Reformation and then they set to the Work in good earnest O that we could make Reformation our main work and business without delay 3. We must set to it with a right and full understanding of the whole work of Reformation in the parts and progress of it We have been ready to return by way of retortion unto this great Exhortation as that people Mal. 3.7 Even from the dayes of your fathers ye are gone away from mine Ordinances and have not kept them Return unto me and I will return unto you saith the Lord but ye said Wherein shall we return So 8 13. Though they were guilty of a very great and general defection yet they understood not the Work of Reformation Truly so it is our great unhappiness that we do no better know wherein the Work of Reformation consisteth yea that some of the great things of our peace do seem to be even Judicially or in Judgement hidden from our eyes Luk. 19.42 Deut. 29.4 Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day and that was the reason that their defection was continued Psal 95.10 Fourty years long was I grieved with this Generation and said It is a people that do erre in their heart and they have not known my wayes Vnto whom I sware c. They were incurable in their defection because they understood not the Work of Reformation It is observable in all these seven Epistles unto the Churches Christ calls for an understanding attention Let him that hath an ear to hear hear c. There is much wisdome and prudence requisite unto the Work of Reformation Hos 14.9 Who is wise he shall understand these things prudent he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them O! a want of this wisdome and prudence is one great hinderance we do not we will not understand the way and work of Reformation 4. We must set unto the Work in a way of full and sincere subjection unto Order and carry on the Work according to Rules of Order Breach of Order neglect of Order Non subjection unto Order Disorder and Confusion it hath been one great Cause yea it is a great part of our defection and if ever we do hope or intend to make thorough work in Reformation we must recover Order the Beauty the Harmony the Peace and Tranquility the Regularity the Purity and Simplicity the Power and Efficacy Life and Spirit of Order gospel-Gospel-order the Order which Christ hath set and appointed in his Church Although we may have never so good dispositions intentions resolutions and desires unto the Work of Reformation yet if we pursue it not in due Order it will all come to nothing 1 Chron. 15.13 because we sought him not in the due Order Surely there is no case so difficult among us but there is a regular and easie way to an issue if we will acknowledge and apply and follow up Rules of Order in the due improvement of them if we would be set down by Order be ruled and governed by Order but if we will slight neglect reject contemn and despise Order we can expect nothing but Disorder and Confusion and shall be in great danger thereby to run and rush desperately into our own ruine It was the great Expedient which the Apostle proposeth for the Reformation of that distracted Church of Corinth Let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.33 40. So 1 Cor. 11.34 5. We must set our selves to the work with a fervent love unto and zeal for the work it self The Cause of God the Kingdome of Christ the Prosperity of these Churches so much concerned in it this is the onely true Principle and Spirit of Reformation O that our first New-England Zeal and Love might be revived and raised under a full clear discovery of the Spiritual Beauty and Glory of that Work and of that Cause that we may labour in it in the heart height and strength of that Zeal and Love This will indeed Spirit the Work and Spirit us unto it It is a sign that there is a glorious work of Reformation near when Gods people do love the stones and favour the dust of Zion Psal 102.14 6. We must labour in it under a sense of our own utter insufficiency to Reform renouncing all our own carnal Confidences and disclaiming our own wisdomes and wills wherein we have too long laboured in vain trust our own hearts no further no longer which have so much so often deceived us but bemoan our selves before God as a hopeless and helpless people as Ephraim did Jer. 31.18 and the Church Jer. 3.22 23 Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills or from the multitude of mountains for shame hath devoured the labours of our hands from our youth We lie dwon in our shame and confusion covereth us then God will work for us Deut. 32.36 For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or lest So Jer. 30.15 17. Why criest thou for thine affliction thy sorrow is incurable for I

Train up your Children in the House of God unto the Worship of God that they may be prepared to uphold the Worship and Ordinances of God in their places in their generation It hath been heretofore the work of New-England to build the House of God to set up the Worship and Ordinances of God but now alas it is too much our work to pull down the House Worship and Ordinances of God Most of the sins of the Times and of the generation have a strong and direct tendenty thereunto We are sinning down and sinning away the Worship and Ordinances of God especially by our Pride Wantonness cannot Confidence in our visible Liberties and Priviledges carnal ease and rest Carnality Formality Hypocrisie Spiritual Idolatry in the Worship of God our manifold both gross and more spiritual Profanations and Pollutions of the House Worship and Ordinances of God O these evils growing and prevailing amongst us and many of the most notorious and scandalous sins of the Times getting into Churches and corrupting of Churches do sadly signifie at least great danger of the downfall of the House Worship and Ordinances of God Jer. 7.10 12. But that which is yet most sadly signal it is that there is not likely to be a people fit to uphold such pure Churches Worship and Ordinances at least not in the internal spiritual power and purity of them If we do consider how much both Civil and Religious Education is neglected and if we look upon the sad face of the Rising generation and see how much of Ignorance Atheism Profaneness Disobedience Rebellion and Irreligion doth already appear in the Conntenance of it what an ungracious irreligious generation there is likely to arise among us unless God in infinite mercy work a great and wonderful change our hearts may well tremble to think what will become of the Worship and Ordinances of God in the next Age. Many there are hopeful but alas how few in comparison with the Numbers of this numerous generation Here is a second generation arisen and a third and fourth generation arising apace and truly we have cause to fear that every generation will be less hopefull then other untill at last that wofull Saying be verified of us which is spoken Judg. 2.10 And there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord. O unless God work graciously to save these degenerating generations there will be small hope of the long continuance of the pure Worship and Ordinances of God here the Worship of God and Religion will either revive and live or else utterly decay and die with the Rising Generations Unto this we may further adde the graduall removes of the Glory the disappearances of the Divine Presence the departures of God from his own House a sad sign that our House will be e're long left unto us desolate O how much then are we concerned to labour as much as in us lyeth by all means to uphold and maintain the Worship and Ordinances of God in their spiritual power and purity least the Glory should depart from this Israel and the Light of the Gospel be again utterly extinguished in this Western World 3. We must uphold and maintain our first love unto and zeal for the external purity which through the grace of God is yet continued unto us in the Worship of God The voice of Christ unto these New-England Churches is as unto the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2.25 That which thou hast already hold fast untill I come Keep and preserve pure Worship purity in the Worship of God preserve the primitive purity of these Churches according to their Reformed Constitution by Divine Institution that is pure instituted Churches purity in the Constitution of Churches is the ground-work of pure Worship Preserve a pure Ministry constituted exactly according to gospel-Gospel-order respecting all the Offices of it the Power the Investiture the Exercise the whole Work and Service of it such a Ministry as our Lord Jesus hath instituted and appointed Christs Ministry Preserve these pure Gospel-ordinances the Ordinances of Christ Admit of nothing as an Ordinance of Worship but that which Christ hath instituted and ordained and keep the pure Ordinances of Christ in the purity of them in the Gospel simplicity of them without any corrupt Mixtures in or with any Ordinance of Christ which is ordinarily the first inlet of corrupt Worship into most Reformed Churches O let us keep and cleave unto naked Ordinances simple Ordinances the Crystalline purity of the waters of the Sanctuary which are as they arise and flow from the Fountain of Divine Institution clear as Crystal Rev. 22.1 Preserve purity of Administration respecting both the Power Subject and Order of Administration Preserve pure and holy Order in the Administration of every Ordinance 1 Cor. 14.40 This holy Order is the Beauty of Churches Col. 2.5 Disorder it is a general Corruption in Worship it corrupteth both Churches Ordinances and Administrations and so it makes the House of God like a Den of Thieves Mat. 20.13 O Christians this purity of Worship it hath been the Eminency and Excellency of these Churches not yet lost as to the external Form of it It was Gods design and work not only to set up his Worship in New-England but to set it up in the purity of it by a purging refining Reformation God did therefore qualifie his Reformers with extraordinary Humility Sincerity and holy Zeal for purity of Worship and made extraordinary discoveries of his Minde and Will concerning his Worship unto them He did shew them the Pattern the Platform as I may say of his House that they might shew it unto us Ezek. 43.11 O how much then are we engaged to preserve purity of Worship Purity it is the Excellency of Worship it is the Beauty and glory of Churches it is that which maketh Churches shine as golden Candlesticks it makes Churches the Beauty of Holiness Psal 29.2 110.3 It makes the Church to appear in her Spiritual Beauty in her ornaments as a Spiritual Bride adorned and trimmed for her heavenly Bridegroom That purity of Worship which shall be after the destruction of Antichrist will be the chief perfection if not the consummation of the Gospel Dispensation Rev. 21.2.3 22.11 Then let us be moved to prize and preserve purity of Worship And to this end we must subject our selves our very Souls freely fully most sincerely unto the Power Authority Rule and Government of Christ as it is Regularly Ministerially exercised and administred in his Church in the Administration of all his O dinances Exalt Christ in the Exercise of his Kingly office in his Church whilst Christ is walking amidst the Churches holding the Stars in his right hand they will remain golden Candlesticks If we do debase Christ and set up our own wisdomes and wills in and about the Worship of God then farewell to purity of Worship Again if we will preserve purity of Worship we must keep up internal spiritual purity and

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

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-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