1691 JOHN HOWE. Very Important Document Consolidating Puritan Theology - Influenced Massachusetts Bay Colony

An important document that attempted to gather together the Presbyterian and Congregational Dissenters for the revival of the puritan church. Previously, issues surrounding a national church, which the Presbyterians favored, and solifidianism over neonominism, which the Congregationalists largely favored contra Richard Baxter had kept the movements separate. However, between the Great Ejection of 1662 and the decline in Presbyterian influence in Scotland, both parties were willing to work things out for the preservation of a truly experimental and reformed Church.  

Increase Mather, then in London was instrumental in the formulation of the present document. Signed by over 80 Puritan divines, it formed an important part of the ecclesiology of England and in the colonies, which of necessity needed the strength of the Presbyterians and Congregationalists united in one puritan movement in America. After the damage inflicted by the Half-Way Covenant, the famous Saybrook Platform was issued in 1708 with these "Heads of Agreement" prefaced.

Both Cotton Mather in his Magnalia Christi and other sources attest it was an important move to affirm that the church was composed of those who were reformed and those who had been authentically converted into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. It laid the experimental and theological seed for the Second Great Awakening under Jonathan Edwards, etc. 

Howe, John [Increase Mather]. Heads of Agreement Assented to by the United Ministers in and about London: Formerly called Presbyterian and Congregational. London. Printed by R. R. for Tho. Cockerill, at the Three Legs, and John Dunton at the Raven, in the Poultrey. MDCXCI. 16pp. 

Very scarce. Last auctioned, 2007 at Christie's. 

Good, removed from early sammelband binding, adhesive remainder at top half of interior hinge on title, loss of blank margin on lower half of interior hinge on title. 1916 discrete collection stamp on reverse of title. Text very good.

Contents include a rejection of a National Church Constitution, a theological description of the Churches and Church Members [spiritual], of Ministers of the Gospel, of Communion between Churches, of Relationships to the Magistrates, of Censure, etc.,