A memorial of God's goodness. Being the substance of two sermons, preach'd in the First Church of Christ in Braintree, Sept. 16th. 1739. On compleating the first century since the gathering of it. / By John Hancock, M.A. their present Pastor. ; Printed at the earnest desire of the hearers; in remembrace of God's mercy. Together with some marginal illustrations. ; [Nine lines of Scripture texts]

A MEMORIAL OF GOD's Goodness.

ISAIAH LXIII. 7.

I will mention the Loving-kindnesses of the LORD, and the Praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us: And the great Goodness towards the House of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his Mercies, and according to the Multitude of his Loving-kindnesses.

THIS Day compleats a Century since the Foundation of this first and ancient Church was laid. Memorable have been the interchangeable Providen|ces of God towards it in this Period, as we may well suppose in the pre|sent mutable State of Things: But it hath survived the various Changes of Time, according to God's Mercies, and according to the Multitude of his Loving kindnesses. Having therefore

obtained Help of God, we continue unto this Day, a Mo|nument of his sparing Mercy under the visible Decays of Piety among us; and have this happy Opportu|nity* 1.1 to commemorate and mention the Loving-kind|nesses and Praises of the Lord, according to all he hath bestowed on us in particular, and his great Good|ness towards his People in general, in the Dispensati|ons both of Grace and Providence.

These Words are a devout Meditation and Expression of God's great and unwearied Goodness to his Church, and the Praises due unto him for it. They were spo|ken either by the Church, or by the Prophet in their Name, and are written for our Learning, and if I mis|take not, will afford us some pious Instructions and Reflections sutable to the Business of this Day.

Here I shall observe this important Truth as com|prehending the Sense of the Text, viz. That it has been the exemplary and pious Care of the Church of God to mention his Loving-kindnesses, and Praises, accord|ing to all that the Lord hath bestowed on them in the Riches of his Mercy; to make a solemn Mention & Me|morial of the Riches of the divine Goodness, as indeed the Church of Christ on Earth, the Church Militant is full of his Riches. The Words of the Text are very empha|tical and full to this Purpose; they abundantly express the Memory of his great Goodness, they express the greatest Sense and Acknowlegement of the Church of Israel, for the great Goodness which God had bestow|ed on them and on their Fathers, according to his Mercies, and according to the Multitude of his Loving-kindnesses.

In discoursing on this Subject I shall endeavour to shew, 1. That it is the Duty and hath been the pious Practice of God's People to preserve and express the Memory of his great Goodness to them. 2. It is also their Duty, and hath been their pious Care to express the Praises of the Lord in Remembrance thereof.

I. I am to shew, that it is the Duty and hath been the pious Practice of God's People to preserve and ex|press the Memory of his great Goodness to them. This is the pious Resolution of the Church of God, I will mention the Loving-kindnesses of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and his great Goodness towards the House of Israel. This supposes a due Commemoration and Sense thereof, and that the Heart is warmed with deep Meditation thereon: For out of the Abundance of the Heart, the Mouth utter|eth the Memory of God's great Goodness, as the de|vout Psalmist declares† 1.2, My Heart was hot within me, while I was musing the Fire burned, then spake I with my Tongue. Again,‡ 1.3 I will remember the Works of the Lord; surely I will remember thy Wonders of old; I will meditate also of all thy Work, and talk of thy Doings. Whereas Forgetfulness of God, & his wonderful Works, robs him of the Glory of an honourable Mention of them; therefore the People of God should take great Care to keep in their Minds the Remembrance of his wonderful Works both to themselves & to the Church, lest they bury any of them in ungrateful Oblivion, and restrain their grateful Acknowlegements of them: So they should refresh & strengthen their Memory by fre|quent Recollection & Meditation of them; that they may be always ready to mention them to the Praise of God. Particularly,

1. It well becomes the People of God to make so|lemn Mention of his Loving kindnesses to themselves. I will mention the Loving-kindnesses of the Lord, accord|ing to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us. Every one that is godly will take particular Notice of God's Loving kindness to himself, and be ready to speak of it to the Glory of God.‖ 1.4 Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul. So should every particular Church and Society of Christians consider and declare what great Things the Lord hath done for them; as the Church of Israel celebrates the Memory of God's wonderful Works to

them,* 1.5 The Lord hath done great Things for us, where|of we are glad; as in their Plantation-Growth, Preser|vation, and remarkable Deliverances from manifold Dangers. But how great is the Sum of them! That Declaration of the Psalmist should be often in our Lips† 1.6, Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful Works, which thou hast done, and thy Thoughts which are to us-ward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more then can be num|bred. But the more remarkable Instances of God's Loving kindness should be sutably noticed & celebrated by us as we are a Body of People, or a Communion of visible Saints, a Church of Christ.

The planting and settling of Churches is the Work of the Lord that he may be glorified. God sends his Gospel into one Place of his Dominion, and not into a|nother, affords to one Nation the Means of Salvation, and not to another, one Piece is rained upon, and made fruitful with the Doctrines of Grace and Salvation, and the Piece whereupon it raineth not, withers and is nigh unto Cursing▪ This is a mysterious Dispensation of the infinitely wise, good and holy God: He giveth no Account of this Matter, but Righteous art thou, O Lord, when we plead with thee; righteous in all thy Ways, and holy in all thy Works. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? It must be resolved into the divine Sovereignty; Even so Father, for so it seem|ed good in thy Sight.‖ 1.7

Thus it pleased the sovereign and only wise God to set up his Candlesticks and cause the Light of the glo|rious Gospel to shine in these dark Places of the Earth which were full of the Habitations of Cruelty, not a Century and half ago▪ This is the Doing of the Lord, and it should be marvellous in our Eyes.

These Churches have abundant Cause to sing of the Mercy, the distinguishing Mercy of the Lord, in plant|ing, watering, increasing and defending them to this Time: If it had not been the Lord who was on our Side, may these New-English Churches say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our Side, when Men rose up against

us, then they had swallowed us up quick, when their Wrath was kindled against us. Our Help is in the Name of the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.

We should with the Church of Israel of old set up our Ebenezer,† 1.8 our Stone of Help and say, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.

This Church of Christ in particular should do it this Day, Set up a Memorial of the divine Goodness, and mention the Loving-kindnesses of the Lord, according to all that he hath bestowed on us. This, this is the Day of the Gladness of our Heart, for God's manifold Mercies to us and to our Fathers, and if it be the Day of our Espousals to Christ we shall have Cause enough to rejoyce in the Lord always with Joy unspeakable; The Lord grant it may be so in his good Pleasure

This is a very proper Time to recollect, consider and rehearse what great Things God hath done for us, as a Church and People, and for every one of us in particular, that we may be sutably prepared, disposed and quickened to praise the Lord for them: Let us not neglect and miss the happy Opportunity, but diligent|ly improve it to the Glory of God, and to our Fur|therance in Christian Knowlege, and practical God|liness.

2. It becomes the People of God to mention his great Goodness towards the Church in general. I will mention the great Goodness towards the House of Is|rael, which he hath bestowed on them. This indeed is a very copious Theme, and who is sufficient to give the sacred History? Who can utter the mighty Acts of the Lord? Who can shew forth all his Praise? But it is our Duty, and it should be a sacred Pleasure to re|volve in our Minds, and declare with our Mouths the wonderful Works of God to his Church in all Ages; tho' we are not able to set them all in order.

The Prophet, or the Church, whoever it is that speaks here, doth not confine the Consideration of the divine Goodness to themselves of that Generation, but gene|rously extends the Review of it to distant Ages of the Church that were past; and mentions his great Good+ness

to the Church in general: And indeed there is such a summary of Church History in the holy Bible from the Beginning of Time as may furnish rich Mat|ter for our delightful Exercise in the Duties of Religion, both for Meditation, Praise and Discourse. O how great is his Goodness which he hath bestowed on the Church from Age to Age.

As the Church of Israel were formed and preserved by a Series of remarkable Providences, so God took Care to preserve the Remembrance thereof in several Ways to the latest Posterity. Particularly,

Of their very remarkable Deliverance from the Aegyp|tian Bondage, and miraculous Preservation in the Wil|derness forty Years, till their Introduction and Settle|ment in the Land of Cannan. These Things are so full of the Wonders of God's Power & Mercy that they well deserved to be commemorated and acknowleged in all their Generations, and indeed in all Ages of the Church.

Accordingly, God commanded his People Israel to transmit the Knowlege of them down to all their Ge|nerations: That one Generation might praise his Works to another‖ 1.9. That the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born, who should arise and declare them to their Children, that they might set their Hope in God, and not forget the Works of God, but keep his Commandments† 1.10 We have heard with our Ears, O God, our Fathers have told us what Work thou didst in their Days, in the Times of old.

This was one wise and effectual Method God took to preserve the Knowlege of his Will and Works in the Church of Israel, viz. PARENTAL INSTRUCTION.

Moreover, God instituted several Memorials or Mo|numents of his wonderful Works of Mercy to them. So the Passover was instituted in Remembrance of his Mercy in bringing them out of Aegypt, when he slew all the First-born in Aegypt, a Night to be much ob|served to the Lord in their Generations.‡ 1.11 It shall come to pass, when your Children shall say unto you, What mean you by this Service? That ye shall say, It is

the Sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, who passed over the Houses of the Children of Israel in Aegypt, when he smote the Aegyptians, and delivered our Houses. Yea, so great was the Deliverance, that God hath preserved the Me|mory of it in the Preface to the Decalogue or Moral Law, which is in these Words,* 1.12 I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt, out of the House of Bondage. You may observe also, that in the Repetition of the Law of the Sabbath† 1.13, the Observation of it is enforced upon the Israelites, from the Consideration of that Deliverance, And remember that thou wast a Servant in the Land of Aegypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty Hand, and by a stretched-out Arm, therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath|Day: Though originally instituted in Memory of the Creation.‡ 1.14

The Song of Moses recorded in Exodus 15. is a stand|ing Memorial of the great Deliverance God gave them by the Destruction of the Host of the Aegypti|ans in the Red-sea.

Their miraculous Preservation in the Wilderness forty Years, where God fed them with Manna, and gave them of the Corn of Heaven, and they did eat Angels Food, was commemorated by the Golden Pot that had Manna, and was put in the Ark within the Vail† 1.15

In like manner, God was pleased to preserve the Remembrance of his miraculous Work in dividing the Waters of Jordan for the Armies of Israel to pass safely through, as on dry Land, by causing twelve Stones to be taken out of the midst thereof, and set up in Gilgal for a Memorial forever‖ 1.16 Thus God made his wonderful Works to be remembred, his wonderful Works to the House of Israel, in that remarkable Period from their memorable Deli|verance out of Aegypt, to their Introduction to Ca|naan, which prepared their Way for their future Esta|blishment and Prosperity.

As God hath had a Church in the World from the Beginning, so he hath taken special Care of its Pre|servation

and Support: It is built upon Christ the Rock of Ages, so the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. The Burning Bush is not consumed. Many a Time, may the Church say, have they afflicted me from my Youth, yet they have not prevail'd against me. The World, the Flesh and the Devil act in Confederacy against it, yet it stands secure against all the Assaults that have been made upon it, from Earth and Hell. The Lord is in the midst of it, its Glory and Defence, For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a Wall of Fire round about, and the Glory in the midst of her‖ 1.17

Sometimes the Glory of the Church has been made thin, and the true Worshippers of God have been few in Number, yea very few.

In the Time of great Declension in the Church of of Israel, in the Days of the Prophet Elijah, he veri|ly thought in himself that he only was left, and of the People there was none with him, that feared God, and thought upon his Name, no not one. But yet at that Time there was a Remnant left* 1.18 "God always pre|serves a Remnant in the heaviest Judgments which he brings upon his People" A Remnant shall be saved in Times of the greatest Defection & Apostacy from the Faith.

So in the Times of antichristian Superstition and Ty|ranny for several Centuries together, before the dawn|ing of the Reformation the christian Church seem'd to be buried in the Rubbish; Darkness covered the Church, and gross Darkness the People: And there was but little Hope of its Recovery and emerging out of that sinking and ruinous State, but then it was Time for God to work, with whom all Things are possible; by whom else should Jacob arise when he is small and without Strength, to his former Strength, Beauty and Glory? And indeed God raised up some Confessors of Christ and his sacred Truths in the most declining and corrupt State of the Church, some of whom sealed the Truth with their Blood;† 1.19 'till at length above two

hundred Years ago, God raised up and inspired a Luther, one of the Wonders of the Church, with Zeal and Courage to preach against the Pope's unchristian Man|dates, and begin a Reformation of Religion‡ 1.20 And he lived to see this glorious Work go on prosperously in several Parts of Germany, Switzerland, &c. In England also he saw several Attempts made towards a Refor|mation by Means of Archbishop Granmer who hap|pily laid the Foundations of it* 1.21 After Luther's

Death‡ 1.22 God formed many useful Instruments to carry on the Reformation from Popery, till whole Nations and Kingdoms became Protestant‖ 1.23. And especially in the English Nation which has been very much the Glory and Bulwark of the Reformation to this Time, and God grant it may be so even to the Consum|mation of all Things† 1.24. Thus the State of the Church has been chequer'd with Light and Darkness, but the Glory of God hath shined through the thick 'Darkness, and has been a Light unto it, and we trust in God that he will still appear in his Glory and build up Zion in all Generations.

Moreover, as it becomes the People of God to utter the mighty Acts of the Lord to his Church in general, and speak of his Glory in the Defence and Preservation

of it to this Day, so it becomes them to mention his great Goodness to it in all the Revelations of his Word and Spirit, from the first and ancient Promise of the Messiah, in Gen 3. 15. to the compleating of the sa|cred Canon in the Fulness of Time: By which the People of God in all Ages of the Church have had the Knowlege of his Will, and the Way of Salvation by Jesus Christ revealed to them, more darkly indeed under the mosaick Dispensation, and distant Ages of it, but now clearly and universally by the Gospel, and the Promulgation of it among the Gentiles.

For many Ages the Church was very much confin'd to the Jews within the Limits of Canaan, to them per|tained the Adoption, the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Service of God, and the Promises, and of whom as concerning the Flesh, Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Thus he shewed his Word, Statutes, and Judgments to Israel, he had not dealt so with any Nation.

But when Christ the Glory of his People Israel, was manifested to them, in the Fulness of Time, he spread the Knowlege of God and his Grace, preaching Peace to them that were afar off, and to them that were nigh, both to Jews and Gentiles: And gave it in Commissi|on to his Apostles to christianize the whole World of Mankind, and preach the Gospel to every Creature: So the Scripture was fulfilled‖ 1.25. The People which sat in Darkness, saw great Light, and to them which sat in the Region and Shadow of Death, Light is sprung up. And thus Christ is a Light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the Glory of his People Israel. The Gentiles came to his Light, and Kings to the Brightness of his Rising: So the Church of Christ has commenc'd Christi|an and Catholic.

The Goodness of God in revealing Christ and the saving Doctrines of the Gospel to the Church is very great; Surely God is good to Israel

The Church is the Repository of the Revelations of God, and is intrusted with the Care of them: They should be kept pure and uncorrupt, and

so transmitted down to the latest Generation. The Father to the Children shall make known thy Truth.† 1.26

And now, my Brethren, but our Hearts be warmed with a lively Sense of the Living kindnesses of the Lord to our selves, and his great Goodness to his Church, and in his Temple let every one of us speak of his Glory, and shew forth his Praise.

The Foundation of our present happy Establishment, and Liberty, was laid by our pious Fathers when they embodied in Church State here this Day an hundred Years ago, by a solemn Covenant‡ 1.27 Blessed be the Lord God of our Fathers who inclined their Hearts to lay such an early and good Foundation for themselves and for their Children against the Time to come, when they were but few in Number, but eight Persons: And blessed be his glorious Name that he has built us up and not pluck'd us down. We trust that we are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone, in whom all the Building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. According to the Grace of God which was given to our Fathers, as wise Master-Builders, they laid the Foundation, and others builded thereon; but let every Man take heed how he build|eth thereupon, not Wood, Hay and Stubble, such Things as will soon perish, and not bear the fiery Trial; but let us build upon it, Gold, Silver and precious Stones which shall abide the Trial for the Fire shall try every Man's work of what Sort it is if any Man's work a|bide, he shall receive a Reward, if any Man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer Loss.

Let us be careful to follow the Piety and Zeal of our Fathers who first settled this Country and this Church. Let us not be slothful, but followers of them who thro' Faith and Patience inherit the Promises.

We that are joined together in Church-Fellowship profess to have laid the Foundation of Repentance from dead works, and of Faith towards God. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us

go on unto Perfection And, O that the Spirit of God and of Glory may rest upon us, and assist us in the so|lemn Acts we are about to perform, in renewing the Dedication of our selves to God, in renewing the Covenant that the pious Fathers of this Church entred in|to at the gathering of it, and in the Celebration of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, that all may be done heartily as to the Lord, and not to Men, to the Glory of God, and our mutual Edification and Comfort; that so the solemn Transactions of this Day may be accept|ed of God, and turn to our Salvation, thro' our Pray|er, and the Supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, to whom be Glory in the Church throughout all Ages World without End. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Upon the Lord's Day when the Administration of the Lord's Supper was attended, and the Church solemnly renewed the original Church Covenant. The Church was gathered on Monday Sept 16. 1639.
• † 1.2

  Psalm 39. 3.
• ‡ 1.3

  Psalm 77. 11, 12.
• ‖ 1.4

  Psalm 66. 16.
• * 1.5

  Psalm 126 3.
• † 1.6

  Psalm 40 5.
• ‖ 1.7

  Mat. 11. 25, 26.
• † 1.8

  1 Sam. 7. 12.
• ‖ 1.9

  Psalm 73 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• † 1.10

  Psalm 44. 1.
• ‡ 1.11

  Exod. 12. 26, 27.
• * 1.12

  Exod. 20. 2.
• † 1.13

  Deut. 5. 15.
• ‡ 1.14

  Gen. 2. 3.
• † 1.15

  Heb. 9. 4 Exod. 16 32; &c.
• ‖ 1.16

  Josh. 4 6, 7.
• ‖ 1.17

  Zech. 2. 5.
• * 1.18

  1 Kings 19. 14 18.
• † 1.19

  The learned Dr. Edwards in his Answer to that Objection of the Papists 〈…〉〈…〉 Protestant Religion is new and upstart, has given us a Catalogue of the Confessors of Christ and his sacred Truths from the Rise of Popery in the seventh Century, to the Time of Reformation in the sixteenth Cen|tury Among many other glorious Defenders of the Faith, these that follow deserve a particular Mention: viz. Bede. Johannes Scotus. Smaragdus. Berengarius. Bernhard. Peter Waldo. Gulielmas Parifie••sis. John Dun Scotus. Nicolas Lyra. John 〈◊〉〈◊〉. William Santre Parish Priest of London, who was burnt alive Feb. 26. 1400. He was the first that suffered Death in England by that bloody Act, De Heretico Comburendo; for Heresy. That bloody Statute stood unrepeal'd till 1667. Rapin.

  In the fifteenth Century also in Bobemia appear'd John Hus and Jerome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Prague, who for opposing the popish Errors were condemned to the Stake by the Council of Constance.

  Then in the sixteenth Century flourished that eminent Re|former, Martyn Luther, and others.

  Thus there have been Testimonies against Popery in every Age, and the true Protestant Religion may be fairly vin|dicated from the Imputation of Novelty.
• ‡ 1.20

  Martin Luther was an Augustine Fryar and Professor in Divinity in the new University at Wirtemberg in Germany, who in 1517 alarmed the Pope, by publishing some Writings, not without some satyrical Remarks upon the plenary In|dulgences granted by Pope Leo 10. and ordered to be pub|lickly sold at so moderate a Price, that a Man must have been very careless of his own Salvation not to purchase them. This Sale of Indulgences was made on Pretence of carrying on the War with the Turks. Hence sprung the glorious Reformation from Popery. Rapin.
• * 1.21

  Thomas Granmer that eminent Reformer and venerable Prelate commenced Doctor in Divinity in 1523. He was born at Aslackton in Nettinghamshire 1489. Burnet. Who having been Professor at Cambridge had lost his Place upon being married. He had travelled into Germany where he had read Luther's Works, and embraced his Doctrines. Whilst he was only Doctor, and in Quality of Praeceptor in a Gentleman's House at Waltham; he opened the Way for King Henry VIII. Divorce, 1529. from which Time he was ordered to follow his Court, and was ever in great Esteem by that Monarch. Granmer suffered Mardyrdom in Queen Mary's Reign, March 21. 1556 in the 67th Year of his Age. Rapin.
• ‡ 1.22

  Luther died at Eysleben in Saxony, Feb. 18. 1546, in the 63d Year of his Age. It is remarkable that he died quietly in his Bed, in the midst of a Multitude of popish Enemies, who had often thirsted for his Blood, an Instance of the powerful Protection of divine Providence towards his faithful Servants; who has said, touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no Harm, Psalm 105. 15.
• ‖ 1.23

  The Dyet of the Empire at Spire making a Decree against the Reformation. April 19 1529. several of the Princes of the Empire publickly read their Protest against it, whence the Reformed take the famous Name of Pro|testants.
• † 1.24

  As Bishop Ridley and the venerable old Bishop Latimer were burning at the Stake, Octob. 16. 1555, Latimer pro|phesied that they two should light such a Candle in England, as by God's Grace would never be extinguished. Fox May God arise and shine upon his own Work, causing it to shine more and more unto the perfect Day, of Restitution of all Things.
• ‖ 1.25

  Isai 9 1, 2. compared with Mat 4 14, 15, 16.
• † 1.26

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 38, 19.
• ‡ 1.27

  See the Covenant with the Names of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 original Members in the Appendix.