A Covenant People - 1: Magnalia Christi Americana

There is a very distinct moral rhythm that drives the entire storyline of the Book of Mormon. This is often referred to within the church as the “pride cycle.”  

It goes something like this:

When the people remember God, they live peacefully and prosper. Their obedience brings material success and national stability. Then, wealth and comfort begin to shift their focus. Pride replaces gratitude. The people start to divide into social classes, persecute the poor, and boast of their own strength.

As pride spreads, the society grows corrupt. Prophets warn them to repent, but their voices are ignored or mocked. Eventually, destruction comes through war, famine, or internal collapse. Suffering drives the people to humility. They remember God again, repent, and the Lord blesses them with peace and prosperity. Then the cycle restarts. This pattern is repeated continually from the beginning of the Book of Mormon and is claimed to be the direct result of covenant with God. That when men are righteous they will be blessed. But that the blessings are removed with unrighteousness.  You can read about how the Lamanites  were "cursed" due to their disobedience here.

Except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, they will not remember him. … How slow are the children of men to remember the Lord their God.

 (Helaman 12:3-4)

If we take my theory that the Book of Mormon is a retelling of American history and thought (see my Without the Mormon Lens Project) then we should be able to demonstrate the idea of this same cycle being taught in American history. 

In this series, we are going to take a look at a number of publications demonstrating how ideas of the Nephites being a covenant people are being pulled from early American thought.

We are going to spend our first few arricles seeing how Cotton Mather, represents the American people in his book, Magnalia Christi Americana (affiliate link) or, The Great Works of Christ in America. Once this book has been adequately covered, we will look at other sources.

(This first article in the series is going to be me largely repeating some of the ideas I already shared here. However, the articles following this one will dive into the text in more depth so it warrants being part of a seperate series)

Mathers chronicled a hundred years of New England’s rise and struggle as evidence of God’s ongoing covenant dealings with His chosen people. To him, every event, whether success or suffering, proved that God was actively shaping their destiny.  

The words of John Higginson prefaced Mather's first volume:

It hath been deservedly esteemed one of the great and wonderful works of God in this last age, that the Lord stirred up the spirits of so many thousands of his servants, to leave the pleasant land of England, the land of their nativity, and to transport themselves, and families, over the ocean sea, into a desert land in America, at the distance of a thousand leagues from their own country; and this, meerly on the account of pure and undefiled Religion, not knowing how they should have their daily bread, but trusting in God for that, in the way of seeking first the kingdom of God...

..For the Lord our God hath in his infinite wisdom, grace, and holiness, contrived and established His covenant, so as he will be the God of his people and of their seed with them, and after them, in their generations; and in the ministerial dispensation of the covenant of grace, in, with, and to his visible Church. He hath promised covenant-mercies on the condition of covenant-duties: “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear their prayers, forgive their sins, and heal their land; and mine eyes, and mine heart, shall be upon them perpetually for good!” that so the faithfulness of God may appear in all generations for ever, that if there be any breach between the Lord and his people, it shall appear plainly to lye on his people’s part...

(Magnalia Christi Americana Volume 1, 1820. Pgs 7-8 )

Compare this to the covenant between God and the Nephites in the Book of Mormon which was published 10 years later:

..And [Lehi] also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained—how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.

For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished. 

But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord. 

Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. 

Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

 (2 Nephi 3-5)

Both Magnalia Christi Americana and The Book of Mormon portray America as sacred land, both interpret history through divine causality, and both see prosperity and destruction as the moral consequences of covenant keeping or breaking. This continuity is unmistakable and will become more apparent as we explore the purposes of Mather's work in the posts to come.

The purposes of Magnalia Christi Americana:

 Outlined in Volume 1 by John Higginson (pgs 12-13)

First, That a plain scriptural duty of recording the works of God unto after-times, may not any longer be omitted, but performed in the best manner we can.

Secondly, That by the manifestation of the truth of things, as they have been and are amongst us, the misrepresentations of New-England may be removed and prevented; for, Rectum est sui et obliqui Index.

Thirdly, That the true original and design of this plantation may not be lost, nor buried in oblivion, but known and remembered for ever. [Psal. 111. 4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. Psal. 105. 5. Remember ye the marvellous works which he hath done.]

Fourthly, That God may have the glory of the great and good works which he hath done for his people in these ends of the earth...

Fifthly, That the names of such eminent persons as the Lord made use of, as instruments in his hand, for the beginning and carrying on of this work, may be embalmed, and preserved, for the knowledge and imitation of posterity; for the memory of the just is blessed...

Sixthly, That the present generation may remember the way wherein the Lord hath led his people in this wilderness, for so many years past unto this day...and God's end in all has been to prove us, whether, according to our profession, and his expectation, we would keep his commandments, or not.

Seventhly, That the generations to come in New-England, may know the God of their fathers, and may serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind; as especially the first generation did before them; and that they may set their hope in God, and not forget his works, but keep his commandments...

Eighthly, And whereas it may be truly said, that when this people began to follow the Lord into this wilderness, they were, holiness to the Lord, and he planted them as a noble vine; yet if in process of time, when they are greatly increased and multiplied, they should so far degenerate, as to forget the religious design of their fathers, and forsake the holy ways of God...

Ninthly*, That the little daughter of New-England in America, may bow down herself to her mother England, in Europe, presenting this memorial unto her; assuring her, that though by some of her angry brethren, she was forced to make a local secession, yet not a separation, but hath always retained a dutiful respect to the Church of God in England...

And Lastly, That this present history may stand as a monument, in relation to future times, of a fuller and better reformation of the Church of God...

Anyone familiar with the Book of Mormon should have read those and immediately recognize similarities between the two texts. If not, don't worry, we'll explore each item in detail with examples from both books.

*I'm actually not 100% sure how I'll approach this one

-Next-

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Check Your Understanding: The Pride Cycle & American Covenant Thought

Test what you remember from this article.

1. What triggers the beginning of the “pride cycle” in the Book of Mormon?

A new prophet beginning his ministry
The people prosper and become wealthy
A new enemy rises to attack Nephite cities
God gives new commandments

2. According to this article, what usually follows the rise of pride in Nephite society?

The creation of new temples
The people migrate to new lands
Social division, persecution, and corruption
The appearance of new kings

3. In the Book of Mormon cycle, what usually brings the people back to humility?

Suffering through war, famine, or collapse
A new set of scriptures being written
A righteous king ascending the throne
A migration to a new promised land

4. Helaman 12:3–4 is used in the article to support what idea?

That prophets should always write records
That the Lamanites were a cursed people
That Nephites needed strong military defenses
That people rarely remember God unless afflicted

5. What theory does this article apply to the Book of Mormon?

That it was based on medieval European legends
That it represents a future prophecy of America
That it retells early American history and thought
That it was influenced by ancient Asian trade routes

6. What major early American text does this article focus on as a parallel to the Book of Mormon?

Magnalia Christi Americana
The Federalist Papers
Common Sense
View of the Hebrews

7. What theme connects Magnalia Christi Americana and the Book of Mormon?

Their historical accuracy
Their identical structure and chapters
Their focus on ancient Israelite migrations
Their claim that prosperity or destruction is tied to covenant keeping

8. What does John Higginson emphasize in the opening of Magnalia?

The need for better military defenses
That New England’s history reveals God’s covenant dealings
That the colonies needed better political leadership
That America should reject ties with England

9. What Book of Mormon passage is quoted to show a covenant tied to the promised land?

Alma 32
Mosiah 2
2 Nephi 1–5
Ether 13

10. What is the overall claim of the article?

That early American covenant theology and the Book of Mormon share the same moral pattern
That the Book of Mormon is historically literal
That Mather plagiarized Nephi’s writings
That the pride cycle didn’t appear until the 20th century

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