The Rights of the Congregational Churches of Massachusetts; The Result of an Ecclesiastical Council, Convened at Groton, Massachusetts, July 17, 1826

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1827. Excerpt: ... we regard as describing a change of character, are only the bold figures of the East, to denote conversion from Judaism to Christianity. It may suffice here to say, that a similar change is required and recognised in the Old Testament; that the ground of it is sinful character; that the efficient cause of it is the power of God; and that the effect of it is a state of the affections wholly new towards God and man. From these considerations it is apparent, that the primitive churches were composed of persons professing, and affording credible evidence of, godliness. Our next inquiry respects the nature and rights of the Congregational churches of New England, as instituted by our Fathers.. We have seen what were the qualifications for membership in the primitive churches, and.we know that it was the object of our Fathers, in coming to this land, to establish churches after the primitive model. We possess, also, the views of the whole body of Puritan non-conformists in the confession of their faith, formed in the latter days of Oueen Elizabeth, in which they say, Let them only be admitted to the communion, who have made a public profession of their faith, and submitted to the discipline of the church, unless they shall bring letters testimoninal from some other place. Our Fathers belonged to this body before their exile, and in crossing the ocean on purpose to establish it, we are not to suppose that they changed their opinion. It is well known that the Puritan Fathers of New England were Calvinists; and that two fundamental doctrines of the Calvinistic system are' the entire alienation of the heart from God, and the necessity of a change of heart by the special influences of the Holy Spirit. Now can it be supposed that our Fathers, being Calvinists, did ...