N00231:43
Returning unto God the great concernment of a covenant people. Or A sermon preached…
Returning unto God the great concernment of a covenant people. Or A sermon preached to the Second Church in Boston in New-England, March 17. 1679.80. when that church did solemnly and explicitly renew their covenant with God, and one with another. By Increase Mather teacher of that church. ; [Ten lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by John Foster, 1680
Returning unto God the great Concernment of a Covenant People.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Consider. 3. As yet there hath not been that Returning unto the Lord which ought to be, and which He doth expect from this People. The generality of men do not frame their doings to Turn unto the Lord. If they Return, it is not to the most High. It was a sad word which the Lord took up against his People of old Hos. 11. 7. My People are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt Him. They that did Return when called upon thereunto, were so few, as that they seemed none at all. I doubt not, but that (through grace) there are many particular persons among us, unto whom God hath sanctified his awful Dispensations, in order to their effectual Conversion and Reformation: but our misery is, in that there is no general Turning from Sin and World, unto God in Jesus Christ. Alas, that it may be said as in Am 4. I have with holden the rain from you, yet have you not returned unto me saith the Lord. I have smitten you with blasting and Mildew: yet have ye not returned unto me: I have sent among you the Pestilence, after the manner of Egypt, your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; yet you have not Returned unto me. He that was proud, is so still; he that was a Worldling, is so still, he that was a Pot-companion, & that did haunt Ale houses or Ordinaries, doth so still. That ⟨p. 12⟩which is spoken of the Children of Israel, is sadly true concerning the most of men amongst us, Psal. 78. 32. For all this, they sinned still. Devouring Plagues had been round about them, for all this they sinned still. Most wonderful mercies and eminent deliverances did the Lord vouchsafe unto them: For all this they sinned still. And is it not so with us […] War, Mortality, Fires have been amongst us; Yet men continue sinning still. The Lord hath by a Miracle of mercy, restored peace and health to the Land, that the inhabitant thereof is not sick: yet men continue sinning still.
Consider. 3. As yet there hath not been that Returning unto the Lord which ought to be, and which He doth expect from this People. The generality of men doe not frame their doings to Turn unto the Lord. If they Return, it is not to the most High. It was a sad word which the Lord took up against his People of old