say Beloved in the Lord Because the Lord hath fed our souls at his Table let us all with thanckesgiving praise his Name and every one say in his heart thus Blesse the Lord o my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy Name Blesse the Lord o my soule and forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindnesse and tender mercies who satisfied thee with good things The Lord is mercifull and gracious slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Hee doth not deale with us after our sinnes nor rewarde us according to our iniquities for as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remooved our transgressions from us like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that feare him who also hath not spared his owne Sonne but hath given him for us all and hath given us with him all things there fore doth God shew his love towards us thereby that Christ dyed for us when wee were yet sinners therefore shall wee be the more saved by him from his wrath after wee are justified through his blood For if wee be reconciled through the death of his Sonne when wee were yet enemyes much more shall wee bee saved through his life after wee are reconciled with him therefore shall my heart and mouth praise the Lord from this time forth and evermore Amen Let every one therefore say with an attentive heart ALmighty and most mercifull God and Father wee render thankes to thee with all our hearts that thou hast given unto us out of thy infinite mercy thine onely begotten Sonne to bee our Mediator and a Saerifice for our sinnes yea to bee our food to everlasting life and hast also given unto us a true and lively Faith whereby wee are made partakers of all his benefits and that thou hast caused thy Son to institute this Holy Supper for the confirmation of our Faith Graunt wee beseech thee most faithfull God and Father that through the operation of thy Holy Spirit this commemoration of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ may tend to the encrease of our saith and saving fellowship with him through Jesus Christ thy Sonne our Saviour in whose name wee conclude our Prayers saying Our Father c. FORME Of Excommunication BEloved in the Lord Jesus Christ It is knowen unto you how that at severall times by severall degrees wee have propounded unto you what a haynous sinne hath beene committed by our fellow-member N. and what great offence thereby is given to the end that hee through the helpe of your prayers and Christian admonition might be brought to repentance and so bee freed from the bonds of Sathan where in hee is kept and awake to the will of the Lord Now wee can not conceale from you with great heavinesse that there is no body yet come to us who hath in the least measure given us to understand that hee through the manifold admonitions which have beene given to him both apart by himselfe alone and before witnesse in the presence of many is come to any sorrow or remorse for his sinne or to the manifestation of the least token of repentance Seeing therefore that hee doth aggravate his sinne which yet in it selfe is no small one by his stifnesse and hardheartednesse and seeing wee have signifyed unto you the last time that in case hee after such patience shewed towards him by the Church do not repent that wee should bee forced yet further to bee grieved for him and to come to the last remedy therefore wee are necessitated for the present to proceed to his excommunication according to the power and commandement given unto us in the Worde of God to the end that hee by this meanes if it bee possible might bee brought to shame and remorse for his sinne and that the whole body of the Church may not bee put in danger by this rotten and as yet incurable member and that the name of the Lord may not bee blasphemed Therefore wee Ministers and Elders of the Church being met in the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ declare before you all that for reasons above mentioned wee have excommunicated and by these do excommunicate N. from the Church of the Lord and from fellowship with Christ and his Sacraments and all spirituall blessings which God hath promised and doth fulfill to his Church so long as hee persists in his stubbornnesse and impenitency and therefore is to be esteemed of you as an heathen and publican according to the Commandement of God Mat. 18. who saith that is bound in Heaven what his Ministers binde heere on Earth Further wee do admonish you beloved Christians that you keepe no company with him that hee may bee ashamed yet holde him not as an enemy but admonish him sometimes as you do a brother meane while every one take to heart this and the like example to feare the Lord and if hee thinckes hee stands to bee carefull that hee may not fall but having true fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ as also with all true believing Christians persevere therein to the end and so partake of everlasting salvation You have seene Beloved Brethren and Sisters in what manner this our Excommunicated Brother hath begunne to fall and by little and little is come to ruine observe therefore how subtile Sathan is to bring people to destruction and to take them off from all wholesome meanes to salvation therefore take heed of the least beginning of evill and according to the admonition of the Apostle laying aside all weight and sinne which doth so easily beset us runne constantly the race which is set before us looking unto Jesus the beginner and finisher of our Faith bee sober watch and pray that you fall not into temptation to day if you heare the voyce of the Lord harden not your hearts but worke out your salvation with feare and trembling and every one repent of his sinnes that God do not againe humble us and wee bee forced to bee grieved over any of you but that you living godly with one accord may bee our joy and crowne in the Lord. But seeing God must worke in us both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure let us with confession of our sinnes call upon his name MOst righteous God and mercifull Father wee bewaile our sinnes before thy most high Majesty acknowledging that wee have deserved that sorrow and griefe which hath beene caused by the cutting off of this party once a member of us yea wee are worthy in regard of our great sinnes if thou shouldest enter into judgement with us to bee eternally separated from thee But thou O Lord art gracious unto us for Christ his sake Pardon unto us our sinnes for wee are
fall God said to Eve and in her to all women Your will shall bee subject to your Husband you shall not resist this ordinance of God but bee obedient to the Word of God and follow the examples of Godly women who trusted in God and were subject to their Husbands as Sara was obedient to her Husband calling him her Lord You shall also bee an helpe to your Husband in all good and lawfull things looking to your family and walke in all honesty and vertue without worldly pride that you may give an example to others of modesty Wherefore you N. and you N. having now understood that God hath instituted Marriage and what hee commands you therein are yee willing thus to carry your selves in this holy estate as you heere doe confesse before this Christian assembly and are desirous that you be confirmed in the same Answer Yea. Whereupon the Minister shall say to the Assembly I take you all who are met heere to witnesses that there is brought no lawfull impediment Further to the married persons Seeing then it is fit that you be furthered in this your worke the Lord God confirme your purpose which hee hath given you and your beginning be in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Heereupon they shall joyne hands together and the Minister speake first to the Bridegroome N. Doe you acknowledge heere before God and this his holy Church that you have taken and doe take to your lawfull wife N. heere present promising her never to forsake her to love her faithfully to maintaine her as a faithfull and pious Husband is bound to doe to his lawfull wife that you will live holily with her keeping faith and trueth to her in all things according to the Holy Gospell Answer Yea. Afterwards to the Bride N. Doe you acknowledge heere before God and his holy Church that you have taken and doe take to your lawfull Husband N. promising to be obedient to him to serve and assist him never to forsake him to live holily with him keeping faith and trueth to him in all things as a pious and faithfull wife is bound to her Husband according to the Holy Gospell Answer Yea. Then the Minister shall say The Father of mercies who hath called you out of his mercy to this holy estate of Marriage knit you together with true love and faithfulnesse and give you his holy blessings Amen Hearken now how firme this bond of Marriage is as Matth. describes it Chap. 19. Vers 3.4.5.6.7.8.9 The Pharisees came unto Christ tempting him and saying unto him Is it lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause and Hee answered and said unto them Have yee not read that hee which made them at the beginning made them Male and Female and said For this cause shall a Man leave Father and Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they twaine shall be one flesh wherefore they are no more twaine but one flesh What therefore God hath joyned together let no man put a sunder They sayd unto him Why did Moses then command to give a Writing of divorcement and to put her away Hee said unto them Moses because of the hardnesse of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives but from the beginning it was not so and I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication and shall marry an other committeth adultery and who so marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery Afterwards shall the Minister command the married persons to kneele downe and exhort the Church to pray for them ALmighty God who shewest thy power and goodnesse in all thy workes and ordinances who hast sayd from the beginning that it is not good that Man should bee alone and for that cause hast made a helpe meet for him and hast ordained that these two should bee one who also doest punish all uncleanesse wee beseech thee seeing thou hast called these two persons to the State of Marriage and knit them together that thou wilt give unto them thy holy Spirit that they may live holily together with a true and firme faith according to thy holy Name and set themselves against all manner of sinne Blesse them O Lord as thou blessest those faithfull Fathers thy friends and Servants Abraham Isaack and Jacob that being partakers of that Covenant which thou confirmest to those thy Servants they may beget holy Children and educate them in a godly manner to the honour of thy holy Name to the edification of thy Church and propagation of the Gospell Heare us Father of all mercyes through Jesus Christ thy deare Sonne our Lord and Saviour in whose name wee pray further Our Father c. Hearken now unto the promise which God made in the 128 Psalm Blessed is hee who feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes for thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands happy shalt thou be and it shall be wel with thee Thy wife shall be as a fruitfull Vine by the sides of thine house thy Children like olive-plants round about thy Table Behold thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord the Lord shall blesse thee out of Zion and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the dayes of thy life yea thou shalt see thy childrens children and peace upon Israël Our blessed Lord God fulfill your hearts with his grace and graunt that yee may live long together in all piety and holinesse AMEN
the Apostle Peter testifieth Act. 2. in these words For the promise belongs to you and to your children and to as many as are afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Hence it is that God hath of ould commanded that Infants should bee circumcised which circumcision was a seale of this Covenant and the righteousnesse of faith and therefore also Christ received the little Children layd his hands upon them and blessed them Marc. 10. Seeing then Baptisme is put in the place of circumcision therefore Infants are to bee Baptized as heyrs of the Kingdome of God and of the Covenant and Parents are admonished to instruct their Children in these things when they are come to yeares of discretion That therefore this holy ordinance of God may at this time bee administred to the glory of God to our comfort and the edification of his Church let us call upon the name of our God. O Almighty and Eternall God who according to thy severe judgment didst punish with the Flood the impenitent and unbeleeving World and according to thine infinite mercy didst save Noah with his family who didst drowne hard-hearted Pharao with all his people in the Red Sea and didst safely leade thy people Israell through the same by which Baptisme was signified unto us wee beseech thee that thou wilt bee pleased out of thy infinite mercy graciously to looke upon these Infants this Infant and incorporate them it by thy holy spirit into thy Son Jesus Christ that so they it may bee buryed with him into his death and also rise with him to newenesse of life that they it may take upon them it daily their his Crosse follow him and cleave unto him with a true faith firme hope and fervent love and willingly leave this life which is nothing else but a continuall death and at the last day may appeare without feare before the tribunall seat of Christ thy Son through Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost one God lives and reigns for ever An Exhortation to the Parents and those that come with them to Baptisme Beloved in the Lord yee have heard that Baptisme is an ordinance of God to seale unto us and unto our seed his Covenant therefore wee must use the same to this end and not out of custome or superstition That it may then bee manifest that ye are thus minded you are to answer sincerely upon these questions First Whether you doe not acknowledge that however our children are conceived and borne in sinne and therefore are subject to all manner of miseries yea to condemnation it selfe yet that they are sanctified in Christ and therefore as members of his Church ought to bee baptized Secondly Whether you do not acknowledge the Doctrine contained in the Ould and Newe Testament and in the Articles of the Christian Faith which is also taught in these Christian Churches here to bee the true and perfect Doctrine of Salvation Thirdly Whether you do not promise and intend to see your children when they come to yeares of discretion every one whereof hee is either Father or Witnesse to bee brought up in the foresaid Doctrine to the uttermost of your power Answer Yea. After in baptizing the Minister of the Word of God shall say N. I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost A Thankesgiving O Almighty and most mercifull God and Father wee blesse and praise thee that thou hast forgiven all our sinnes to us and our children through the blood of thy beloved Sonne Jesus Christ and through thy Spirit received us as members of thy Son and adopted us to bee thy children and confirmed the same by this holy Baptisme wee beseech thee through the same Son of thy love to rule alwayes these baptized Infants Infant that they it may bee educated in true piety and Christianity and growe up in the Lord Jesus Christ acknowledging thy Fatherly goodnesse and loving kindnesse shewen to them it and to us and live in all righteousnesse under our Onely Teacher King and Priest Jesus Christ fighting manfully against sinne Satan and his whole Kingdome to land and praise thee and thy Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost the one and eternall God to all eternity Amen FORME For the administration of Holy Baptisme to persons of yeares HOwever children of Christian Parents notwithstanding they understand not this mystery must be baptized by vertue of the Covenant yet it is not lawfull to baptize those who are come to yeares of discretion except they first bee sensible of their sinnes and make confession both of their repentance and faith in Christ For for this cause hath not onely John the Baptist preached according to the Commandement of God the baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sins to those who confessed their sinnes Marc. 1. Luc. 3. But our Lord Jesus Christ hath also commanded his Disciples to teach all Nations and then to baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Math. 28. Marc. 16. adding this promise Hee that beleeveth and is baptized shall bee saved According to which rule the Apostles as appeareth out of Act. 2. 10. 16. have baptized none who were of yeares of discretion but such who made confession of their Faith and Repentance therefore is it not lawfull now a dayes to baptize those of yeares except they have learned out of the preaching of the Gospell the mysteries of holy Baptisme and are able to give an account of their Faith by a confession of the mouth Seeing therefore you are also desirous of holy Baptisme to the end it may be to you a seale of your ingrafting into the Church of God that it may appeare that you do not onely receive the Christian Religion in which you have beene privately examined by us and of which also you have made Confession before us but that you through the grace of God intend and purpose to lead a life according to the same you are sincerely to give answer before God and his Church First Whether you beleeve in the true God distinct in three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost who hath made Heaven and Earth and all that is therein and that hee sustaineth and governeth the same in so much that nothing can come to passe in Heaven or in Earth without his will Answer Yea. Secondly Whether you beleeve that you are conceived and borne in sinne consequently that you are a child of wrath by nature unfit to any thing that is good and prone to all evill and that you in thoughts words and deeds have many times transgressed the Commandements of God and whether you bee heartily forry for your sinnes Answer Yea. Thirdly Whether you beleeve that Christ who is the true and eternall God and a true Man who hath taken his humane nature out of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary bee also given of God to you as your Saviour and that you