1777 JAMES BRIGGS. MSs Sermon by First Pastor in Cummington MA, Yale Graduate, and Revivalist.

A fine 2pp MSs sermon [complete] by Revolutionary War era divine, Rev. James Briggs [1745-1825]. Excellent content. 

A graduate of Yale [c.1775], Briggs began preaching in Cummington, Massachusetts in 1777. A group of Christians had already gathered, but having no minister, he "filled in" for nearly two years, and was ordained their pastor in 1779.

The town, "Voted to give Mr. Briggs two hundred acres of good land, and sixty pounds, stated by rye at three shillings and four pence a bushel, for settlement; fifty pounds the first year, and rise five pounds a year till it amounts to sixty pounds, stated by rye at three shillings and four pence a bushel, beef at twenty shillings a hundred, and fax at eight pence a pound.”

He was the first minister in the town, which had only been settled in 1762 and, according to historians, he experienced four special seasons of revival while their pastor. 

From the superb early and mid-19th century autograph collection of Rev. Robert Crawford, son-in-law of Edward Dorr Griffin and friend of perhaps the autograph collector of the period, William Buell Sprague. I trace no other extant examples. 

[In the hand of Rev. Robert Crawford] "Rev. Mr. Briggs of Cummington, Mass"

[In the hand of James Briggs] "Genesis XVII. 7, 10

And I will establish my covenant between me & thee & thy seed after thee . . . This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me & you & thy seed after thee . . . every male child among you shall be circumcised.

A covenant is an agreement made between two or more parties on certain terms: the obligation of all covenants arises from the self bending [?] act of all the parties covenanting. Whereas the obligation of a law arises from the authority of the lawgiver. 

There are two covenants relating to Christ and fallen men, viz the covenant of redemption & the covenant of grace . . . 

etc."

Apparently complete, some stains and wear and the hand a bit more challenging to decipher.