baptifm are bound to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh; That they are Chriftians, and foederally holy before baptifm, and therefore are they baptized; that the inward grace and vertue of baptifm is not tied to that 6 very moment of time wherein it is adminiftred, and that the fruit and power thereof reacheth to the whole course of our life; and that outward baptifm is not fo neceffary, that through the want thereof the infant is in danger of damnation, or the parents guilty, if they do not contemn or neglect the ordinance of Christ, when and where it may

'be had.'

In thefe or the like inftructions, the minifter is to ufe his own liberty and godly wisdom, as the ignorance or errors. in the doctrine of baptifm, and the edification of the people, fhall require.

He is alfo to admonish all that are present.

To look back to their baptism; to repent of their fins against their covenant with God; to ftir up their faith; to improve and make right ufe of their baptifm, and of the covenant fealed thereby betwixt God and their fouls"

He is to exhort the parent.

'To confider the great mercy of God to him and his child; to bring up the child in the knowledge of the 'grounds of the Chriftian religion, and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and to let him know the danger of God's wrath to himself and child, if he be negligent; requiring his folemn promise for the performance of his duty.

This being done, prayer is alfo to be joined with the word of inftitution, for fanctifying the water to this fpiritual use; and the minister is to pray to this or the like effect.

That the Lord, who hath not left us as ftrangers without the covenant of promife, but called us to the privileges of his ordinances, would graciously vouchsafe to fanctify and blefs his own ordinance of baptifin at this time: That he would join the inward baptifm of his fpirit with the outward baptifm of water; make this baptifin to the infant a feal of adoption, remiffion of fin, regeneration and eternal life, and all other promifes of the covenant of grace That the child may be planted into the

likeness of the death and refurrection of Chrift; and that, the body of fin being destroyed in him, he may serve God in newness of life all his days.'

Then the minifter is to demand the name of the child, which being told him, he is to fay, (calling the child by his name.)

Ibaptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoft.

As he pronounceth thefe words, he is to baptize the child with water: which for the manner of doing it, is not only lawful but fufficient and most expedient to be, by pouring or fprinkling of the water on the face of the child, without adding any other ceremony.

This done, he is to give thanks and pray, to this or the like purpofe;

Acknowledging with all thankfulness, that the Lord is true and faithful in keeping covenant and mercy; that he is good and gracious, not only in that he numbreth us among his faints, but is pleafed alfo to bestow upon our children this fingular token and badge of his love in • Chrift: That, in his truth and fpecial providence, he daily bringeth fome into the bofom of his church, to be partakers of his ineftimable benefits, purchased by the blood of his dear Son, for the continuance and increase of his church.

And praying, that the Lord would ftill continue, and daily confirm more and more,this his unspeakable favour: That he would receive the infant, now baptized, and folemnly entred into the houfhold of faith, into his Fatherly tuition and defence, and remember him with the favour that he fheweth to his people: that, if he fhall be taken out of this life in his infancy, the Lord, who is rich in mercy, would be pleased to receive him up into glory; and if he live, and attain the years of difcretion,that the Lord would fo teach him by his word and fpirit, and make his baptifm ' effectual to him, and fo uphold him by his divine power and grace, that by faith he may prevail against the devil, the world, and the fiefh, till in the end he obtain a full and final victory, and fo be kept by the power of God, through faith unto falvation, through Jefus Christ our Lord,'

of

Of the celebration of the communion, or facrament of the Lord's fupper.

HE communion, or fupper of the Lord is frequently To to be celebrated; But how often, may be confidered, and determined by the minifters, and other church-governors of each congregation, as they fhall find moft convenient for the comfort and edification of the people committed to their charge. And, when it shall be adminiftred, we judge it convenient to be done after the morning-fermon.

The ignorant and the fcandalous are not fit to receive this facrament of the Lord's fupper.

Where this facrament cannot with convenience be frequently adminiftred, it is requifite that public warning be given the fabbath-day before the adminiftration thereof; And that either then, or on fome day of that week. fomething concerning that ordinance, and the due preparation thereun to, and participation thereof, be taught; that, by the diligent ufe of all means fanctified of God to that end, both in public and private, all may come better prepared to that heavenly feaft.

When the day is come for administration, the minister, having ended his fermon and prayer, fhall make a fhort exhortation.

Expreffing the ineftimable benefit we have by this facrament; together with the ends and ufe thereof; Setting forth the great neceffity of having our comforts and strength renewed thereby, in this our pilgrimage and warfare; how neceffary it is that we come into it with knowledge, faith, repentance, love, and with hungring and thirfting fouls after Chrift and his benefits: How great the danger, to eat and drink unworthily.

Next, he is, in the name of Chrift, on the one part, to warn all fuch as are ignorant, fcandalous,' profane, or that live in any fin or offence against their knowledge or confcience, that they prefume not to come to that holy table; fhewing them, That he that eateth and drinketh unworthi ly, eateth and drinketh judgment unto himself: And, on the other part, he is in efpecial manner to invite and encourage all that labour under the fenfe of the burden of their fins, and fear of wrath, and defire to reach out un.

⚫ to

Nor is it to be administred in private places, or privately but in the place of public worship, and in the face of the congregation, where the people may moft conveniently fee & hear; and not in the places where fonts,in the the time of popery, were unfitly and fuperftitioufly placed..

The child to be baptized, after notice given to the minifter the day before, is to be prefented by the father, or (in cafe of his neceffary abfence) by fome Chriftian friend in his place, profeffing his earnest defire that the child may be baptized.

Before baptifin, the minifter is to ufe fome words of inftruction, touching the inftitution, nature, ufe, and ends of this facrament: Shewing,

That it is inftituted by our Lord Jefus Chrift; That it is a feal of the covenant of grace, of our ingrafting into Christ, and of our union with him, of remiffion of fins, regeneration, adoption, and life eternal: That the water, in baptifm, repefenteth and fignifieth, both the blood of Chrift, which taketh away all guilt of fin, original and actual; and the fanctifying vertue of the Spirit of Chrift against the dominion of fin, and the corruption of our finful nature: That baptizing,or sprinkling and washing with water, fignifieth the cleansing from fin by the blood and for the merit of Chrift, together with the mortification of fin, and rifing from fin to newness of life, by vertue of the death and refurrection of Chrift: That the promife is made to believers and their feed; and that the feed and pofterity of the faithful, born within the church, haye, by their birth, intereft in the covenant, and right to the feal of it, and to the outward privileges of the church, under the gofpel, no less than the children of Abraham in the time of, the old Teftament; the covenant of grace, for substance, being the lame; and the grace of God, and the confalation of believers, more plentiful than before; That the Son of God admitted little children into his prefence, embracing and bleffing them, faying, For of such is the kingdom of God: That children, by baptifm, are folemnly received into the bofom of the vifible church the diftinguifhed from the world, and them that are without, and united with believers; and that all who are baptized in the name of Chrift, do renounce, and by their bap

baptifm are bound to fight against the devil, the world, and the flesh; That they are Chriftians, and foederally holy before baptifm, and therefore are they baptized; that the inward grace and vertue of baptifm is not tied to that very moment of time wherein it is adminiftred, and that the fruit and power thereof reacheth to the whole courfe of our life; and that outward baptifm is not fo neceffary, that through the want thereof the infant is in danger of damnation, or the parents guilty, if they do not contemn or neglect the ordinance of Christ, when and where it may 'be had.'

In thefe or the like inftructions, the minifter is to ufe his own liberty and godly wisdom, as the ignorance or errors in the doctrine of baptifm, and the edification of the people, fhall require.

He is alfo to admonish all that are prefent.

To look back to their baptifm; to repent of their fins against their covenant with God; to ftir up their faith; to improve and make right ufe of their baptifin, and of the covenant fealed thereby betwixt God and their fouls'

He is to exhort the parent.

'To confider the great mercy of God to him and his child; to bring up the child in the knowledge of the grounds of the Chriftian religion, and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and to let him know the danger of God's wrath to himself and child, if he be negligent; requiring his folemn promise for the performance of his duty.

This being done, prayer is alfo to be joined with the word. of inftitution, for fanctifying the water to this spiritual ufe; and the minister is to pray to this or the like effect.

That the Lord, who hath not left us as ftrangers without the covenant of promife, but called us to the privileges of his ordinances, would graciously vouchsafe to fanctify and blefs his own ordinance of baptifin at this time: That he would join the inward baptifin of his fpirit with the outward baptifm of water; make this baptifin to the • infant a seal of adoption, remiffion of fin, regeneration and eternal life, and all other promifes of the covenant of grace That the child may be planted into the