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THAT THERE IS BUT

ONE COVENANT,

WHEREOF

BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER ARE SEALS;

VIZ.

THE COVENANT OF GRACE,

PROVED FROM THE WORD OF GOD;

AND THE DOCTRINE OF AN

EXTERNAL GRACELESS COVENANT,

LATELY ADVANCED BY THE REV. MR. MOSES MATHER,

IN A PAMPHLET, ENTITLED,

THE VISIBLE CHURCH IN COVENANT WITH GOD, &c.

SHOWN TO BE AN UNSCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE.

But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant in thy mouth? PSALM 1. 16.

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PREFACE.

If we may judge of the sentiments of ministers, in general, by the pieces lately published on this controversy, all are agreed in these three propositions, viz.

I. There is but one covenant, a profession of a compliance with which is requisite to an admission into the visible church of Christ, in complete standing.

II. Those who really comply with this covenant have, in the sight of God, an equal right to baptism for their children, and to the Lord's supper for themselves.

III. All scruples to the contrary are groundless and unscriptural.

There is, therefore, but one single point which now needs to be settled, to decide the whole controversy, viz. With what covenant are we to profess a compliance, the covenant of grace, or a graceless covenant?

And this point is of such a nature, that it seems necessary to settle it before we proceed to act at all in church affairs; in gathering a church, settling a minister, admitting members, or administering sealing ordinances. For until this is settled, we know not upon what covenant the church is to be formed, nor what covenant is to be professed by those who are to be admitted, nor what covenant is to be sealed by baptism and the Lord's supper, nor what covenant the minis. ter is to preach up and hold out to public view, as the thing to be complied with by professors, and to be sealed by the sacraments. So that if we mean to proceed like rational creatures, in our church-affairs, we must look this matter to the bottom, and come to a determination.

To say, that it is needless to determine this point, is the same thing as to say, that it is of no consequence whether our churches are founded on a right covenant, or on a wrong one; or whether God's seals are fixed to the covenant he designed, or to a covenant to which he never intended they should be affixed; which none will pretend to say: for, if it is of no consequence what covenant we profess, nor what covenant

we seal, a right one or a wrong one; it is surely of no consequence whether we profess or seal any covenant at all; which to say, is to tear up by the roots all notion of a visible church in the world. But to set aside a visible church, as a needless thing, is to set aside christianity, as an imposture.. There must be christian churches; there must be a public profession of some covenant or other; there must be sealing ordinances; these ordinances must be adininistered by the ministers of Christ to the proper subjects; it must be determined who they are; it must, therefore, be determined on what covenant churches are to be formed, and what covenant is to be preached up, professed, and sealed. It is a controversy, which no honest man, who means to have any thing to do in church affairs, can let alone, as a mere circumstantial point. Much less can those, who are already in the ministry, or are about to settle in that work, consistently content themselves to proceed without any settled scheme at all; unless all they aim at is to live a quiet life, right or wrong; which is what none will profess to do.

Our churches were originally founded on a profession of a compliance with the covenant of grace, at least generally. And indeed, I know not of one church in New-England, of our denomination, which is now otherwise founded, if we may judge of their foundation by the words of the covenant which is read to those who are admitted to full communion. So far as I know, the formulas in use express the chief things contained in the covenant of grace: "That they avouch the Lord to be their God and chief good, and give up themselves to him, through Jesus Christ, to live to him and seek his glory." And therefore, should we be convinced that the covenant of grace is not the covenant with which the church of Christ ought to profess a compliance, there ought to be an alteration in our formulas. For, as they stand at present, they tend to lead all persons whose consciences are awake, to think they ought to be converted, before they make a profession of religion, and join in full communion with the church. For, such do not think it right to profess a compliance with the covenant of grace, when they know they have no grace. Nor do they think it consistent with moral honesty, to give

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