Renewal of Covenant, Title page – To the reader
Renewal of Covenant the great Duty incumbent on decaying or distressed CHƲRCHES.
A SERMON Concerning Renewing of Covenant with God in Christ, Preached at Dorchester in New-England, the 21. Day of the 1. MonethMonth 1677. being a Day of HUMILIATION There, on that Occasion.
By Increase Mather, Teacher of a Church in Boston.
Deut. 29. 1.
These are the words of the Covenant which the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Children of Israel, in the Land of Moab, beside the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
Jer. 50. 5.
Come, let us joyn our selves to the Lord, in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten.
Disputaro etiam possumus pro unione praedicta reformata, (h. e. pro personali et explicita cum Deo et cum Ecclesia pactione) ex solenni illa professione Fidei, Foederisque personali pactione, quam in Reformatione sua Nehemias &c. necessarium arbitrati sunt.
Parker de Polit. Eccles. Lib. 3 p. 172, 173.
In Veteri Testamento toties ferè logimus de renovatione Foederis, quoties refertur solennis aliqua Ecclesiae Reformatio.
Ames. Med. Theol. L. 1. Cap. 32. Th. 16.
BOSTON; Printed by J. F. for Henry Phillips, and are to be sold at his Shop in the West end of the Town-house in Boston.
1677.
TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN DORCHESTER
Dearly Beloved in the Lord Jesus.
THere are (though none such that I know of amongst you) who have opposed the Doctrine of the Church-covenant, not only as to Renewals thereof, but they strike at the thing it self, denying it to be an Ordinance of Christ, or to have any Scripture foundation. aMr. Cotton in his Book of the way. My Father in his printed discourse of the Church Covenant. Mr. Hooker in his survey of Church discipline. ch. 4, 5. 6. 7 Mr. Norton in Respons. ad Apol. Cap. 2 The Platform of Discipline. Ch 4.Those Eminent servants of God who were Instruments in the hand of Christ, of planting these Churches, have asserted and proved, not only that Covenanting is lawfull, but necessary and essentiall to the very Being of a Church. Albeit I doubt not but that you unto whom I am now speaking; are fully satisfied in the Truth concerning this matter, yet it may be, it will not be altogether unprofitable (as tending to your further establishment in the present Truth) to remind you of the Arguments whereby that Principle of our way (and we trust the way of Christ) hath been confirmed, And they are such as these.
1. It is clear, beyond dispute that the Church under the old-Testament was established by Covenant; and therfore the unchurching of the Iews is expressed by that of breaking their Covenant. Zach. 11. 9, 10, 14. 2. The Names which are given to the Church in Scripture bear witness to this Truth. It is called a City, Psal. 87. 3. Eph. 2. 9. Every City is united by Covenant; The Citizens are received into Jus Civitatis, into right of City priviledges by some Covenant or Oath. Again, the Church is said to be Espoused to Christ, 2. Cor. 11. 2. And they that joyn to the Church are said to be married to the Church, Is. 62. 5. Now we know that marriage cannot be without Covenanting. 3. All Relations which are neither naturall nor violent, but voluntary, are by vertue of some Covenant; Church Relation is voluntary; therefore the Covenant doth constitute men in such a Relation. 4. If a Church decayed is to be restored and reformed by Renewing their Covenant, then the Church is at first Erected thereby; For things are to be Reformed by reducing them to their first Institution. Math, 16. 8. 1. Cor. 11. 23. Rev. 2. 5. But that the Church hath still been Reformed by Renewall of Covenant, the Scriptures do abundantly testify; How rarely do we read of a Church Reformation attained, but in this way? 5. Let the Inventory of all other Respects be brought in and considered, and it will be found that none of them constitute a Church. and therefore this of the Covenant only must. It is against reason to Imagine that meer Cohabitation should doe it; For then Infidels would be of the Church. Nor doth a meer external profession make a man a member of this or that Church; For then it would be impossible to excomunicate or cut off a corrupt member from such a body Politick; since it is not in the power of men to prevent any one from making a profession of the Gospel. Nor doth Baptisme constitute a member of the Church: For then, if a mans membership ceaseth by dissolution of the Church, Excommunication, dismission, his Baptisme, if the form of membership, would become a nullity. It remains then, that a particular Church is constituted by the Covenant, or agreement of Saints to walk with God, and one another, according to the Order of the Gospel.
It hath been objected by some, that the Doctrine of Explicit Covenanting doth unchurch all Christians but those of our way; such a practice not being known to the Christian World untill the late Separatists began it. Unto all which, the old answer is sufficient, that although the more Explicit the Covenant is, the better: bSee Mr. Stone of the Catholick Church. p. 41. & Mr. Burroughs Ire…um. p 69, 70.there is much of the visible glory of Christ appearing in it; and certainly when men visibly, and Explicitly bind themselves and their Children to Christ, they cannot bind them to a better Master; nevertheless, Explicitness is only an Adjunct of the Covenant, therefore not Essentiall to the Being, though desireable as to the Order, and Well-being of a Church. Nor is it true that explicit Covenanting was not in use, except among those of the Separation; For cde polit. Eccles. L 3 c. 16.Parker and dde polit Eccles. L 1. p. 158. L. 3 p. 711.Zepperus (who had reason to know it) declare that upon their personal knowledge, such Covenanting as we plead for, was practised in some of the reformed Churches; Yea it were easy to produce eParker ubi supra.Decrees of Reforming Synods, determining that none should be received into their Churches, but in such a way; And therefore a late learned, and worthy fHornbeck in Epist ad D…reum p. 305 &c.Professor in the University of Leyden, confesseth that those of the Congregational way are not to be blamed for their Doctrine about the Church Covenant; Also gI…rdiris fratr…m Bohem. Hist…r.Comenius testifieth, that such Explicit and solemn Covenanting as we plead for, was practised in those famous Churches in Bohemia. And it is famously known hS… the Martyr Books, vol 3 p 864 & Clarks Examp vol 2 p. 604.that there was a Church of Christians so combined together in England in Queen Maryes dayes, all whose names were written down in a Book which that blessed Martyr Cuthbert Sympson (the Deacon of the Church) had by him, which Book was strangely preserved from falling into the hands of the adversaryes, by means of a redoubled dream of Mr. Roughs, the Pastor of that Church. And that great Reformer iLege ejas de r…ct… instit…ndar…m Ecclesiarum ratione, Epistolas.John Alasco gathered a Church in London, who were conjoyned by explicit Covenant, in K. Edward the 6th. his dayes. (k) In Apol. 2. p. mihi 95.The Dutch Church now in London are the Posterity of that people. Furthermore, it is evident, from Justin Martyrs testimony (who lived in the very next age to the Apostles) that Christians in those dayes did explicitly Covenant. For he saith of them, foreign &c. They were such as did give themselves to God, & did profess they believed that the things taught in the Gospel were true, and that they would for the future lead their lives according thereunto.
Others have objected, that we find nothing in the New-Testament concerning a Church Covenant. And suppose it were so indeed, Is the old Testament Apocrypha in these dayes? Its a solid Notion, that things abundantly insisted on in the Old Testament, and matters about which there was no occasion for controversie in the Apostles time, are sparingly mentioned in the New Testament. As therein much is not said concerning the Sanctification of the Sabbath. Nor express mention of the Baptisme of Infants, it was so plain and unquestionable a thing, that the Infants of Believers should have the initiating Seal of the Covenant applyed to them, that there was no need to insist expresly on a matter then, so clear & indisputable. And as for the Church-Covenant, there wants not New Testament proof for it. For some Scriptures in the old Testament which speak of it, refer to the days of the Gospel. So Isa. 56. 6, 7. & 44. 5, & 62. 5. Jer. 50. 5. Ezek. 20 37. And in the New-Testament we read of the Churches being espoused to Christ, and that Church-Members are Fellow-Citizens, and of their being in Fellowship together, & being added to the Church, all which expressions imply such covenanting as is by us propugned and practised.
And if the thing it self be warrantable, the Renewall of it is in case a duty. Nor can I think of any momentous objection against it; I know some are scrupulous (and it is good to be of a tender Conscience) lest men be not duly prepared for a Renewall of Covenant, and will not keep their Ingagements, and so greater Judgment follow; But it may be Replyed, 1. This striketh at all Explicit Covenanting; yea by this Argument we must have no days of Humiliation, no coming to Sacraments, because if professors be formal in these things, they break the third Commandment, and the Lord will not hold them guiltless. 2. Our Churches are (through grace) as well prepared for this duty as the Children of Israel were sometimes when they Renewed their Covenant, & a blessing followed. 3. If only an Externall Reformation should be attained therby that may prevent outward Iudgements. 4. A number of living Christians will be sincere in what they do, & so bring down a blessing upon others as well as themselves. Christ sometimes judgeth of his Churches by the Gold that He seeth in them If a few Golden sincere members in a Church Renew, and keep their Covenant with God; the Societyes and Towns, whereto they belong, shall fare the better for them. In a word a Christian should not be like him that Luther speaketh of, who because he made many promises to God, that he would serve him in newness of life, and yet kept them not, therefore resolved to live at a loose end, and never ingage himself to God any more. Only a work of this nature should be done not in our own strength, but humbly depending upon Christ, and with all possible seriousness, since it is a most dreadfull thing to transact personally with the holy, and infinitely glorious Majesty of heaven and earth.
And now (my Brethren) as for the publication of this Sermon, it was your concurrent desires that prevailed with me to consent unto it. And I must confess that I have peculiar reason to be willing to serve you in any thing wherein I may, for I was once an unworthy Member of your Church, and my first publick Labours in the Ministry (now twenty years agoe) were bestowed amongst you: You were my Fathers Flock, and (I suppose) the greatest part of you now living, the Seals of his Ministry, who served Christ amongst you for the space of thirty three years and more without ceasing. You have also manifested your willingness (before his death & since also) that I (however unworthy) should have been my Fathers Successor. Your undeserved love wherein I shall whilst I live acknowledge, & bear a gratefull Remembrance of. And I bless God, who hath provided another, a faithfull Pastor for you, and long may he continue as a Blessing among you, and over you in the Lord. If this, or any other weak endeavour of mine, may be a means to promote your spiritual Edification, I shall have cause to rejoyce. Yet I think I should hardly have given way to this publication, had not some Judicious and worthy Persons, conceived that it might (if the Blessing of Christ goe along with it) tend to promote the holy work, by you lately and solemnly (and I hope sincerely) attended, in other Congregations also. And who knoweth how far your Example may provoke others to a godly emulation? The Lord help us to be in earnest in the matter of Reformation, and therefore to attend all means which God hath sanctified to the attainment of that end, in this New-Englands day, lest greater Fires be kindled, and more Candlesticks removed out of their places, and then it be too late to prevent those evills which as yet may possibly be diverted.
I shall add no more at present, only that I do (not in a Complemental way, but earnestly) desire the help of your prayers that I may be enabled to fulfill the Ministry which I have received of the Lord, and finish my course with joy. So beseeching the Grace of the Lord Jesus to be with you, I rest,
Yours in the Lord alwayes Increase Mather. BOSTON, 22d. of 3. MonethMonth, 1677.