N00231:53
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.
Answ. As for secret sins, which only God knoweth of, men ought not to declare them before the World; But such evils as are public, they ought publicly and particularly to be engaged against. Thus when the Lords people renewed their Covenant in Nehemiahs Time. They did engage particularly against those evils of unlawful Marriages, Oppression, Sabbath breaking, neglect of Divine Institutions, &c. which were the special prevailing iniquities of that Time and place, Neh. 10, 30, 31, 35. A general ⟨p. 16⟩confession of sin, is not true Repentance, except there be this and that particular sin bewailed before the Lord. No more are general promises for Reformation sufficient.
Answ. As for secret sins, which only God knoweth of, men ought not to declare them before the World; But such evils as are publick, they ought publickly and particularly to be engaged against. Thus when the Lords people renewed their Covenant in Nehemiahs Time. They did engage particularly against those evils of unlawful Marriages, Oppression, Sabbath breaking, neglect of Divine Institutions, &c. which were the special prevailing iniquities of that Time and place, Neh. 10, 30, 31, 35. A general ⟨p. 16⟩confession of sin, is not true Repentance, except there be this and that particular sin bewailed before the Lord. No more are general promises for Reformation sufficient.
Object. 2. Some say, our Fathers forty years ago, did not practise any such Renewing of Covenant, as that which is now urged, nor did they approve of it.
Object. 2. Some say, our Fathers forty years agoe, did not practise any such Renewing of Covenant, as that which is now urged, nor did they approve of it.