ford: "Upon which these people shake off their antichristian bondage, and, as the Lord's free people, join themselves by covenant in a church state, to walk in all his ways, made known or to be made known to them, according to their best endeavors, whatever it cost them." Thus it seems that covenants were originally the basis of Congregational church organizations, and that with regard to the substance, and not the words of them. Many of the old writers, particularly Goodwin, show that a covenant, expressed or implied, is absolutely necessary to the establishment of any society whatever.

It was the united opinion of the early Congregationalists, that any number of persons, united together by a covenant either expressed or implied, for the worship of God, constitute a church. John Robinson says: "And for the gathering of a church I do tell you, that in what place soever, whether by preaching the gospel by a true minister, by a false minister, by no minister, or by reading and conference, or by any other means of publishing it, two or three faithful people do arise, separating themselves from the world into the fellowship of the gospel, they are a church truly gathered, though never so weak." (Works, ii, 232.) In his Apology he defines a church to be a company of faithful, holy people, with their seed, called by the word of God into a public covenant with Christ, and among themselves, for mutual fellowship, in the use of all the means of God's glory and their salvation. (Works, iii, 427.) The Saint's Apology says, this consent or agreement ought to be explicit, for the well-being, but not necessarily for the being, of a true church; for it may be implied by frequent acts of communion, &c. (Hanbury, ii, 73). Jacob's Church Confession says: "They (the English congregations) are a true political church, as they are a company of visible Christians, united, by their own consent, to serve God, . . . therefore we commune with them upon occasion." (Hanbury, i. 296.) Euring says: "Search the Scriptures, and you shall find that every true visible church of Christ must consist of a company of peo

ple separated from the froward generation of the world by the gospel, and joined or built together into a holy communion and fellowship among themselves."-Answer to Ten Counter Demands, Hanbury, ii. 367.

In Burton's Modest Answer to Prynne's Full Reply in 1645, it is shown that a mere implicit covenant is sufficient to the being, though not to the well-being, of a church (p. 9). Thomas Goodwin argues, that a church is a holy nation, a household of faith, . . a holy temple," and thus is an organized body; and that it is an instituted body, assembling in one place, built by a special covenant. In his Catechism he shows that the ancient converts joined themselves to the church, and that a covenant is implied in their authority to judge and discipline their members, as they have no power to "judge them that are without." The Confession of the Low Country Exiles, art. xxxiii., says: "Christians are willingly to join together in Christian communion and orderly covenant; and, by free confession of the faith and obedience of Christ, to unite themselves into peculiar and visible congregations." John Davenport says in his "Power of Congregational churches:" "The Church of Christ arises from the coadunition or knitting together of many saints into one by a holy covenant, whereby they, as lively stones, are built into a spiritual house (1 Pet. ii. 4, 5). Though church covenant be common to all churches in its general nature, yet there is a special combination which gives a peculiar being to one Congregational church and its members, distinct from all others."-See also, for corroboration of the same sentiments, Burrough's Irenicum, in Han. iii. 115; Bartlett's Model, in ib. 239; Savoy Declaration, in ib. 545, 546; Camb. Platform, chap. 2, sect. 6, and chap. 4; Wise's Vindication, chap. 2; Lord King's Enquiry, part i. 3, 7; Hooker's Survey, part i. 46; Hutchinson's Hist. Mass. 370, 371; Hall's Puritans, 294; S. Mather's Apology, 2; Increase Mather's Dis. Ecc. Councils, preface; Owen's Complete Works, xix. 213, 505, and xx. 370,

371; Watt's Works, iii. 198, 250; Cotton Mather's Rat. Dis. 10, 11; Eaton's and Taylor's Defence, 44; Letchford's Plain Dealing, epistle to the reader; Dwight, Serm. cxlix.; Emmons, v. 444-446; and Principles of Church Order by the Congregational Union of England and Wales, art. i. in Hanbury, iii. 599.

Mr. Champlin Burrage published in 1910 an interesting pamphlet entitled "New Facts Concerning John Robinson," including the results of his research in English university libraries and in the British Museum. It is interesting that in this as in his previously known writings the pastor of the Pilgrims stands firmly on the covenant as the basis of church organization. He says,

"Every true Church of God is joined with Him in holy covenant by voluntary profession to have Him the God thereof, and be his people."

X. COVENANTS OLD AND NEW

The preceding chapters have contained the text of a number of the older covenants. It will be interesting and instructive to assemble here some representative covenants from the early New England churches in such order as will show their evolution. Those before the Unitarian Controversy were nearly all destitute of doctrinal matter; those from 1810 to 1883 generally included some creedal material, and often involved in addition a more or less formal assent to the longer creed of the local church. The two forms of admission prepared in 1883 and 1895 established a new line of demarcation, and the covenants of recent years may be studied in the examples here gathered, which are fairly representative.

THE PILGRIM COVENANT

The Church of the Pilgrims, 1602.

The Plymouth Church, gathered at Gainsboro in 1602, and organized under covenant at Schooby in 1606, declared that its members

As ye Lord's free people, joyned themselves (by a covenant of the Lord) into a church estate, in ye fellowship of ye gospell, to walk in all his wayes, made known or to be made known unto them, according to their best endeavors, whatever it should cost them, the Lord assisting them.

THE FIRST CHURCH OF SALEM, 1629

We covenant with the Lord and with one another, and do bind ourselves in the presence of God to walk together in all his ways, according as He is pleased to reveal Himself unto us in his blessed Word of Truth.

Covenants tended to lengthen, as in the case of the Salem church, to which came in 1636 Rev. Hugh Peter as minister. He had been accustomed to a much longer covenant in Rotterdam, and he rewrote the Salem covenant, but it will be noted that its added length included matter relating not to doctrine but to life.

THE RENEWED SALEM COVENANT OF 1636

Gather my Saints together unto me that have made a Covenant with me by sacrifyce. Ps. 50: 5.

Wee whose names are here under written, members of the present Church of Christ in Salem, having found by sad experience how dangerous it is to sitt loose to the Covenant wee make with our God: and how apt wee are to wander into by pathes, even to the looseing of our first aimes in entring into Church fellowship: Doe therefore solemnly in the presence of the Eternall God, both for our own comforts, and those which shall or maye be joyned unto us, renewe that Church Covenant we find this Church bound unto at theire first beginning, viz: That We Covenant with the Lord and one with an other; and doe bynd our selves in the presence of God, to walke together in all his waies, according as he is pleased to reveale himself unto us in his Blessed word of truth. And doe, more explicitely in the name and feare of God, profess and protest to walke as followeth through the power and grace of our Lord Jesus.

1 first wee avowe the Lord to be our God, and our selves his people in the truth and simplicitie of our spirits.

2 We give our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the word of his grace, fore the teaching, ruleing and sanctifyeing of us in matters of worship, and Conversation, resolveing to cleave to him alone for life and glorie; and oppose all contrarie wayes, canons and constitutions of men in his worship.

3 Wee promise to walke with our brethren and sisters in this Congregation with all watchfullnes and tendernes, avoyding all jelousies, suspitions, backbyteings, censurings, provoakings, secrete risings of spirite against them; but in all offences to follow the rule of the Lord Jesus, and to beare and forbeare, give and forgive as he hath taught us.

4 In publick or in private, we will willingly doe nothing to the ofence of the Church but will be willing to take advise for our selves and ours as occasion shalbe presented.

5 Wee will not in the Congregation be forward eyther to shew oure owne gifts or parts in speaking or scrupling, or there discover the fayling of oure brethren or sisters butt atend an orderly cale there unto; knowing how much the Lord may be dishonoured, and his Gospell in the profession of it, sleighted, by our distempers, and weaknesses in publyck.

6 Wee bynd our selves to studdy the advancement of the Gospell in all truth and peace, both in regard of those that are within,