Ezra’s Covenant Renewal and the Pursuit of a Lasting Reformation – by Josiah Shute, (1588-1643)
Are you aware that the nature of covenant renewal permeates all of the bible? Shute explains this central concept to the work of Jesus Christ.
Are you aware that the nature of covenant renewal permeates all of the bible? Shute explains this central concept to the work of Jesus Christ.
Did you know that God pays precise and special attention to all the sins and abominations of a people in covenant with Him?
How does reformation and loving God fit together? And how does reformation of the heart, soul and mind for God’s glory and our good work itself out in light of Scripture?
This work is set on the premise that the great design of all God’s judgments on a professing people is to reform them. You must be very discerning about the times in which you live, so that you may set yourself steadfastly in the work of personal reform, church reform, and reforming the world to the glory of God.
Everybody loves to claim the magisterial reformation for their own! Everyone wants to be a reformer in that way. But take God’s principles of a Biblical Reformation and apply them to the church in practical daily living, then that’s a different story all together.
Why study the life of Manasseh who was such a wicked and deplorable man? God, in His great mercy, saved him, converted him, and caused him to start a reformation of religion.
Do you long for reformation and spiritual revival? Even though God has given Christians blessing upon blessing, and mercy piled onto mercy, if Christians answer God’s abundant blessing by sinning against him, what then should they expect?
Are you expecting to see God move in reforming the church? Why? Is your heart settled to continue the work of reformation? Are you truly expecting biblical revival?
Are you ready for Reformation to occur? Thomas Ford says that you must not only be ready for it to occur, but that you must be settled to see it through to the end. This is EVERY Christian’s duty before God daily. Ford masterfully deals with Josiah’s reformation, and why it did not last through to the end after the King’s death. This is truly an important work on discerning the manner in which God will bless true biblical reformation.
How willing are you to be used of God for the work of Reformation? Is reforming the church precious to you? Such work is hard, and often in the midst of being hated and ridiculed, even by complacent Christians in the church. In this rare puritan work, Hardwicke explains how our sowing in tears will ultimately, in God’s timing, be filled with reaping in joy. We are not to live in doubt of God’s work of providence for the good of his people!