COVENANT, AND DECLARATION OF FAITH, OF THE SECOND CHURCH OF CHRIST IN DORCHESTER, WITH A LIST OF THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS, AND AN APPENDIX. 1828. BOSTON: T. R. MARVIN, PRINTER, 32, CONGRESS STREET. 1828. US 13189, 43.8 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY 1851 Dee11 AT a meeting of the Second Church in Dorchester, April 3, 1828, Voted unanimously, That the Pastor be requested to prepare for publication a copy of the Church Covenant and Declaration of Faith, and a List of the surviving members of the Church in regular standing, together with such information respecting the history of the Church, as he may think desirable, and that each member of the Church be furnished with a copy of the same. From the records, Attest, JOHN CODMAN, Clerk of the Church. COVENANT. 1040 You, acknowledging your unworthi ness to be in, and inability to keep covenant with God, or to perform any spiritual duty as you ought, unless the Lord do enable you thereto by his Spirit dwelling in you, do,-in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in trust and confidence of his free grace assisting you, enter into this holy covenant, freely, sincerely and solemnly, before God and his holy angels and this assembly; wherein you profess and promise— First, and above all, to take GOD to be your God, and to cleave to Him as your chiefest and only good. You believe the LORD JESUS CHRIST to be the only Mediator between God and man, the King and Head of his church; and, convinced that you are a guilty sinner, you desire to submit to Him in all the characters with which he is invested for the benefit of the children of men. You believe THE HOLY SPIRIT to be the Sanctifier, Renewer, and Comforter of his people; and, sen sible of your own weakness and depravity, you promise to seek the influences of divine grace to instruct, strengthen, and guide you in the way of holiness, and to fit you for the inheritance of the saints in light. You profess your belief in the Holy Scriptures, that they were given by inspiration of God, and are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. You do solemnly give up yourself (and your offspring) to God, determining to renounce sin and obey Him forever. You promise to walk with this Church in a due submission to, and attendance on all the ordinances of the Gospel; and that in your whole conversation and conduct, you will make it your endeavor to practice the rules of our holy religion. You submit yourself to the watch and discipline, the administrations and censures of this Church, so far as they shall be guided by God's holy word. Of the integrity of your heart, you call GoD, the searcher of all hearts, to witness; beseeching him to assist your sincere endeavors to observe this holy covenant, in all the branches thereof. Amen. Do you thus profess, covenant and promise? We then, the Church of Christ in this place, do, charitably and joyfully, receive you into our communion and fellowship, promising that we will counsel or comfort you, as your circumstances may require, and our acquaintance with you shall permit. And this we do, imploring Almighty God, that both you and we may be finally accepted of Him through the riches of his free grace in Christ Jesus. Amen. 'Tis done, the great transaction's done! I am my Lord's, and he is mine, Now rest my long divided heart, When called on angels' bread to feast. High Heaven that heard that solemn vow, That vow renewed shall daily hear, "Till in life's latest hour I bow, And bless in death a bond so dear.-Doddridge. NOTE. This Covenant is substantially the same with that adopted at the first gathering of the Church in Dorchester, and the settlement of the Rev. RICHARD MATHER, bearing date 23 day of ye 6th month, 1636. A copy of which from the ancient records is subjoined. In 1677, the Church renewed their Covenant under the ministry of Rev. Mr. FLINT, when several articles were added, as particularly seasonable. A copy of this Covenant is subjoined. In 1794, the Church adopted the present form of Covenant,--which was solemnly renewed by the Second Church, May 11, 1821, and has been used on all occasions of admission. 1* |