Returning Unto God, Title page – To the reader
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.
2. Sam. 7. 24.
For thou hast confirmed to thy self thy People Israel, to be a People unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
2 Chron. 29. 10.
Now it is mine heart to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.
Ezra. 10. 12.
Then all the Congregation answered, and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we doe.
Jer. 18. 7, 8.
At what instant, I shall speak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome, to pluck up and to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil way; I will repent of the evil that I thought to doe unto them.
BOSTON, Printed by John Foster. 1680.
To the second Church of Christ in Boston in New-England.
My dearly beloved.
THe Lord Jesus said to a Church of his, as many as I love I rebuke and chaste…; And this Church of his that I am now speaking unto, hath experienced solemn Rebukes from him in the way of his Providence, and that for along Time; yea from our first constitution. It was upon the fifth day of the fourth MonethMonth, 1650. That the Foundation of this Temple was laid. There is but one llone of that first building that doth no… remain among us. The Eyes of those so concerned, were (as some of you know) upon a dear Brother of mine, as desirous that he might have been over them in the Lord. But God had greater Service for him to do, in three other Nations successively, where he finished his Ministry. Wherefore, it was five years before the Church …tled with any Officers; and then the Lord gave them a Pastor and a Ruling Elder which latter (though a good and choice spirited man) was in short time, by bodily infirmity… rendred uncapable of attendance upon the work of his place, for many years, until his death. Your Reverend Pastor, God continued as a blessing unto you, for a consid… rable Time, even since, as well as before the Lord was pleased to cast me (an unprofitable Creature) amongst you, so that (through the grace of Christ) we both lived together in love and peace for the space of eleven years; Alb…it, his labours also, was God pleased to deprive you of, upwards of four years, before his course was finished in this world: so that I have been left alone (yet not alone, if the Lord be with me) in the wo… of Christ for these 8. years last past. That I seel the burthen which I am under, my frequent calling upon you, to endeavour after a full supply of (especially, teaching) Officers in the Church, doth sufficiently testify; yet I must confess, that I am almost astonished, when I consider how the Lord hath disappointed hopes that way from time to time. There was one of our selves a Luke, a beloved Physitian, whom many (and for ought I know, all) of you had your thoughts upon, for improvement as a Ruling Elder in this Church; & it was in the purpose of my heart the n…t Church-meeting, to have mentioned him to you for that end, but the Lord by an un…pected stroke, … ed him away from us; who were not worthy that such a blessing should be any longer continued unto us. Also, another (a faithful man) …at was chosen, (though not ordained) by the Church unto some Office Relation therein, was immediately made unserviceable, from that day to this, by reason of those infirmityes that still prevail over him. These are very solemn rebukes of Christ, the Lord help us to understand his mind and meaning therein. That awfull Dispensation of Divine Providence … befel us above three years agoe, when the house of God, (for so doth the Scripture … those places which are set apart for his worship, Psal. …, 8. & 8…. 1….) … fire, and above forty dwellings near adjoyning, all consumed in one sam… morning I need not acquaint you with, for you have not forgotten it and the marks and Remembrances of those Desolations are still dayly to be seen. You likewise know what a terrible diseases the Lord hath since that, visited us with, whereby eleven persons (besides many Children) belonging to this Church, have been removed from us, and some of them such as were an O…nament to the Church, as well as the glory of Christ, in respect of those spiritual gifts and graces that shined in them.
All these things, are Intimations from Heaven, that the Lord can easily remove the Candlestick, and that therefore it doth concern us as well as all (and much more then some) of the Churches in New-England, to be renewing the Ingagements of our Souls unto God in Jesus Christ, that so he may be pleased to walk amongst us, and continue the Tokens of his gracious presence in the mid…t of us. I rejoyce then, that God (who knoweth I have often begged that he would do so) hath bowed all your hearts to consent and concur in that sacred Covenant which was lately and solemnly renewed between the Lord, and each of our Souls.
And now (my Brethren, and the Lords people) the greatest work is yet to do, viz. sincere endeavours to keep Covenant. To help and further you wherein, there is printed a faithful word, preached by that Worthy Person, who spake unto you in the Name of the Lord, on the day wherein you had so solemnly Renewed your choice of the Lord to be your God. Read and practise as there you are exhorted; It is not only a weighty, but a seasonable word; and I am glad that so many of you have desired that it might in such a way be made public. The Lord write it in every heart; And give us to be ever mindful of that good profession which we have made before many witnesses, yea in the hearing of Heaven and Earth; M…n, and Angels too, that came down from Heaven to observe that dayes solemnity, have beheld us avouching the Lord to be our God, and the Lord did that day avouch us, and our Children with us, to be his people▪ The Covenant we have entred into (many of you having so desired in order to your being put in mind of the Obligation which is upon you) is published herewith; upon which account it will be like Joshua's stone, as, a monument of what hath been done, so, a witness against every man & woman that shall not make Conscience to perform his vows. Let us remember (I do beseech you) that the Eyes of the World are now upon us more then ever; Men will be enquiring, what fruit is there of such a solemn Transaction? And if we do not walk as becometh the Gospel, others will be discouraged from following the Example that hath been set before them, and they that bear ill will to Zion will reproach Religion and the holy wayes of Christ. On which accounts, better we had not vowed, then that we should vow and not pay. But if the Lord Jesus help us to do his Commandments according to those vows of God which are upon us, undoubtedly some special blessing is near at hand; At present we are under a divine probation; The Lord waits to see how we will acquit our selves. And in a more peculiar manner, that branch of the Covenant wherein we have engaged against the sins of the Times, ought most carefully to be remembred by us. Those evils are too many to be particularly mentioned in the Covenant: but therein we refer to what hath been declared by the Messengers of these Churches, that have convened to enquire into that matter.—Pride in Apparrel, is one of the sins of the Times, when persons goe above their Estates, & degrees, or take up such Fashions as become not serious Christians, it is a memorable passage, which I have met with, (and have sometimes put you in mind of) concerning certain Protestant Gentle women in Ireland that being robbed and stripped by the bloody and barbarous Papists, they called to mind the third Chapter of Isaiah, and said one to another, This is come upon us for our excess and pride in Apparrel. Wherefore, beware of this sin, and know that if any of you or your Children that are under your power, be hereafter found guilty before the Lord in that respect, God will look upon you as Covenant breakers in his sight. Again, Sinful drinking is one of the great sins of the Times▪ And Church-members have too many of them giv…n occasion unto others to sin, and to speak evil of their holy profession, by an unnecessary fre…uenting Taverns, and sp…nding ma…y pretious hours, nay (which is lamentable to be spoken) dayes therein, which if they had sp…nt half that time, in reading the Scriptures, and other good books, in prayer, and secret Communion with God, how happy would it have been for their Souls, and what a weight of glory should they have been partakers of, at the last and great day.—Then be watchful, and for the future, be not seen in such houses except when you have just cause & call so to be. There are also Errors of the Times▪ Be zealous in bearing witn…ss against them, love not little Errors, lest God leave you to great ones. And charge your Children to abide in the Truth: It is a very sad thing, that the Rising Generation should be in danger of running into the mouths of Wolves, though in Sheeps cloathing: Look diligently to your Children as to that thing also▪ Otherwise you remember not your Covenant, who have promised God in the presence of Angels and men, that you will do what in you is that your Children may be such as th…se that have the Lords Name put upon them ought to be, but this you do not, if you suffer them to go where they will be in danger to be corrupted and perverted.
One thing more, let me stir up your p…re minds by way of Remembrance, concerning it. We have in our Church Covenant, promised faithfully to watch …ver on… anothers Souls, and that more fully then heretofore. O what a World of Iniq…ity would be prevented, if this branch of the Covenant, were d…ely observed? For the Truth is, that most of those visible evils which Church-members are guilty of▪ arise from negl…cts here. Men can▪ speak of one anothers faults behind their backs, but how few that do in love and faithfulness admonish them to their faces, when they see or hear that they do amiss. Do we not know what befel the Children of Israel, when they did not so strictly watch over Achan (who was a member amongst them) as they should have done? one man sinned, and did not wrath fall upon all the Congregation, Josh. 22. 20. We …ad need then to be careful and vigilant about this matter. Not that every failing should presently be made a matter of Church censur…, but Scandals are by Discipline to be removed, and lesser Errors may sometimes call for loving Reproofs, which if wisely applyed, will promote the Interest of holiness very much, in those, whom Holiness doth become for ever. Time was, when members of Churches in New-England, could not do or speak evil, but one Brother or other would soon help them to see their Error. Let us remember those Times and d… the first w…rks. The good success of undertakings of this nature, depends much upon the manner and Spirit, wherewith they are managed: God would not have us to suffer sin to lye upon any Brother, yet he requireth, that Inferiors should be respective in their deportment towards thos… that in gifts, place, Age, are their Superiors Ye younger submit your selves to the Elder, yea, all of you b… subject one to anoth…r, and be cloathed with humility, 1 Pet. 5. 5.
I have no more at present, in this way to speak unto you; only be not discouraged, if you meet with censures from Men, for what you have done according to the will of God.—Not long since we did (and blessed be God that put it into our hearts) set apart a day for Fasting and Prayer, that we might cry to Heaven, for converting grace, …o be poured do…n upon our Children. One would have thought that none pretending to Religion, would have disliked a work of that nature, yet what evil surmisings, and censures from some men, have we upon that account, been the subjects of? Why? It was a New practice; as some of old complained that Christ taught a new Doctrine. The more our sin and shame, if that which was long ago… our duty be but newly, or not at all practised; The like measure we must look for, in respect of our lat… solemn Transactions. But it is a comfortable thought, that if a man doth well, and h…ars ill for it; if he hath borne witness to the Truth, and against Sin, and promoted the interest of godlin…ss in the hearts and lives of the Lords People, and is therefore hated, reviled, reproached, he meets with just such entertainment in the world, as did the holy Prophets and Apostles, and Martyrs; yea, and the Son of God himself. If then, God in his word doth declare that we have done well, let us not be discouraged in the way of duty▪ and the Lord doth so speak as to what we have done in promising (by the help of his grace and holy Spirit) that we will endeavour in all things to obey his voice. When the C…ildren of Israel did so, the Lord said, They have well said in all that they have spoken. And O that it may appear, that we have made this Profession in sincerity, that there is such an heart in us, even an heart to fear the Lord our God, and keep all his Commandments, alwayes, that it may be well with us, and with our Children for ever. So I rest,
Yours in the Lord Jesus, Increase Mather. April 19. 1680.