N00231:70
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
The Covenant which was unanimously consented unto, is as followeth.
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.
We do give up our selves unto that God, whose Name alone is Jehovah, Father, Son, and holy Spirit, as the only true and living God; And unto our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, […] our only Saviour, Prophet, Priest, and King over our Souls, and only […] of the Covenant of grace; promising (by the help of his Spirit and grace) to cleave unto God as our chief good, and unto the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith, in a way of Gospel Obedience, as becometh his Covenant People for ever. We do also give up our Offspring unto God in Jesus Christ; avouching the Lord to be our God, and the God of our children: And our selves with our children to be his people; humbly adoring this grace of God, that we and our Offspring with us, may be looked upon as the Lords.
We do give up our selves unto that God, whose Name alone is Johovah, Father, Son, and holy Spirit, as the only true and living God; And unto our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, 〈…〉 our only Saviour, Prophet, Priest, and King over our Souls, and only 〈…〉 of the Covenant of grace; promising (by the help of his Spirit and grace) to cleave unto God as our chief good, and unto the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith, in a way of Gospel Obedience, as becometh his Covenant People for ever. We doe also give up our Offspring unto God in Jesus Christ; avouching the Lord to be our God, and the God of our children: And our selves with our children to be his people; humbly adoring this grace of God, that we and our Offspring with us, may be looked upon as the Lords.
We […] also give up our selves one unto another, in the Lord according to the will of God, […] and binding our selves to walk together, as a right ordered Congregation and Church of Christ; in all the ways of his Worship, according to the holy Rules of the word of God: promising in brotherly Love, faithfully to watch over one another's Souls, and to submit our selves unto the Discipline and government of Christ in his Church, and duly to attend the Seals, censures, or whatever Ordinances Christ hath commanded to be observed by his People, according to the order of the Gospel, so far as the Lord hath, or shall reveal unto us by his Word and Spirit.