been made an Example for this Omission as Exod. 4.24 Here its worthy our serious Observation least any should think the Punishment threatned to be greater than the Sin deserved God was pleased to give the Reason of it in the formentioned Gen. 17.14 He hath broken my Covenant God calls a Rejection and Contempt of the Seal of the Covenant a breach of the Covenant it self Now if Baptism come in the room of Circumcision as Protestants generally conclude from Col. 2.11 12. And if God was so angry with his Servant Moses for neglecting to Circumcise his Son that he met him and sought to kill him Judge you whether those Parents that neglect to Baptize their Children have not cause to fear that God is angry with them also though he doth not presently manifest it in his Providence nor can we suppose him to be well-pleased with the Children of such careless or erronious Parents who imitate them in Sin when grown up by Living in the neglect of this Ordinance Sixthly Consider That such as slight and neglect the outward Baptism of Water may justly fear they were never yet Partakers of the inward Baptism of the holy-Holy-Ghost which is signified thereby and that they are still unsanctified or unholy Souls for where the Spirit of God comes with Power he convinceth of Sin John 16.8 and the neglect of any Ordinance of Christ is one Sin of which the Spirit will certainly Convince such as are guilty whenever he Works savingly on them and if you have not had the Convincing-work of the Spirit upon you surely you know nothing of its Converting Renewing and Sanctifying-work and if so should you Dye in this Condition you have no Ground that I know to hope for the Witnessing and Comforting-work of the Spirit in Death nor for Eternal Life after it for none but Holy Souls have a Promise of these Blessings It 's true God can sanctifie the Soul by his Spirit though the Body be not washed with Water therefore I do not say that none are sanctified by the Spirit that are not Baptized with Water for doubtless there are many Instances of the contrary as Elect Infants that Dye before Baptism and others But this I do affirm that seeing God hath been pleased to set up Ordinances in his Church to be the Means of Grace made it our Duty to use them and doth usually Work Grace in and by them it is a Sin to neglect these Ordinances where they may be had and such as do so have Cause enough to fear they never yet received any saving Benefit by them For that would make them to prize Ordinances highly and continue in the diligent use of them Now consider Can you be Content to Live without sanctifying Grace and Dye without Comfort and well-grounded Hope of Heaven at last Seventhly Consider That the sinful neglect of one Ordinance provokes God to withhold his Blessing from other Ordinances as a just and suitable Punishment of that Sin and I fear this is one Reason why so many unbaptized Persons profit little by Reading and Hearing the Word God sometimes Threatens a People that though they hear the Word they shall not understand and though they see they shall not perceive that their Hearts shall be made Fat their Ears heavy and their Eyes shut least they should see with their Eyes and hear with their Ears and understand with their Hearts and Convert and be Healed as Isa 6.9 10. Should God say thus concerning such as you how miserable would your Condition be You have Cause to fear it for your Sin provokes him to it Supposing now that these Considerations duly weighed may be sufficient to convince you of the sinfulness of your neglecting Baptism and they will be so if the Holy Spirit of God sets in with them for which I Pray In the next Place let me give you some plain Councels and Directions for the performance of your Duty First Be deeply humbled before the Lord for your sinful neglect of this Ordinance hitherto acknowledge it to God with Shame and Sorrow of Heart beg Pardon of it in the Name of Christ and resolve to use all good endeavour duly to prepare for the Participation of it and set presently upon the Work as remembring Time is short Life uncertain and delays in Soul-matters most dangerous Secondly Get a Competent Knowledge of the Principal or Foundation-Truths of the Christian-Religion which the Assemblies Catechisms both Shorter and Larger well Read and Considered will help you to if you have not already attained it especially acquaint your selves well with the Nature of the Covenant of Grace and the Gospel-seals of it Baptism and the Lords-Supper which the Sacramental Catechism opens to you Thirdly For your better Help in this great Concern apply your selves to some able and faithful Minister of Christ especially to such under whose Ministry you do ordinarily sit and open your Souls Case to him propound your Doubts or Scruples if you have any ask his spiritual Counsel or Instruction and desire his Prayers to God in your behalf Fourthly Beg earnestly of God that you may have compleat Baptism or be baptized not only outward with Water but inwardly by the Holy Ghost as John 3.5 And have not only the washing of Regeneration but the Renewing of the Holy Ghost as Tit. 3.5 Pray that you may be meritoriously washed from the guilt of Sin by the Blood of Christ and efficaciously washed from the filth and Power of Sin by the Spirit of Christ 1 John 1.7 Rev. 1.5 1 Cor. 6.11 Fifthly Give your Understanding and hearty Consent to the Covenant of Grace and humbly and thankfully accept and chuse JEHOVAH the only Living and True God to be your God and give up your selves to him as his Covenant Servants as Isa 44.5 and Isa 56.4 5. When this is done you may humbly Claim the Ordinance of Baptism as your Right and Priviledge being a Seal to confirm the Covenant between God and your Souls Now as for the Manner of Administration that is to be left to the Prudence of the Ministers of Christ who are to be the Dispensers of this and all other Gospel-Ordinances I pretend not to prescribe to any But hope I shall offend none by giving an account of my own Practice which I submit to the Censure of more mature Judgments When by Conference with and Instruction of the Person seeking Baptism I apprehend Him or Her to have a Gospel-right to and fitness for it At the Time of Administration I first speak something touching the Nature Use and Ends of this Ordinance and the Covenant of Grace to which it doth belong And then seek the Lord by Prayer for his Blessing on it Then I propose these following Questions to the Adult Person that is to be Baptized and receive his Answers Q. Were You never yet Baptized as far as you do understand A. No. Q. Are you willing and desirous to be Baptized A. Yes it is my earnest and hearty
than that this Hand of mine should give the Holy Things of the Lord that is the Lords-Supper to the adjudged Contemners of God Melch. Adam in the Life of Calvin Now should not every faithful Minister of Christ be as careful to keep this Ordinance of Christ from Prophanation and their own Souls from Participation of other Mens Sins as he Doubtless they should 6. You do not forbear to Consult a Lawyer about your Estates or a Physician about your Bodies when occasion requires it for fear they will ask you such Questions as you cannot answer But you willingly submit to their Inquiries because you know it is necessary that they should understand your Case that they may give you proper and agreeable Counsel and Advice and should you not be as willing to submit to the Inquiries of Gospel-Ministers the Counsellors and Physicians of your Souls that they may know your Spiritual State and give you such Counsel as is suitable to it Obj. 4. But we are ashamed to come before Ministers and have not Confidence enough to Discourse with them nor are we able to express our Minds to them or give an account to them of our Knowledge Ans 1. You should be ashamed of nothing but Sin To be ashamed of Duty or of what is good is a sinful Shame and you have Reason to be ashamed of such a Shame and Repent of it and Pray against it until you are Cured of it Yet 2. It must be granted there is a natural Bashfulness in some especially in those of the weaker Sex and in Youth that is not easily Conquered this Ministers do well Understand and therefore Prudence will direct them to Treat such with the greater Tenderness and Mildness 3. Ministers will not expect that such should express the Sense of their Minds with that readiness that others of a bolder Spirit may but will wisely consider their Weakness and discern Sincerity under Imperfection Obj. 5. But others say we are afraid to come to this Holy Ordinance least we should Eat and Drink unworthily for we should thereby become Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord and Eat and Drink Damnation to our selves as the Apostle says 1 Cor. 11.27 29. And we dare not run such an Hazzard as this Ans 1. It must be granted that it is very hazardous for all wicked and graceless Persons to meddle with this Holy Ordinance for they cannot but abuse and Prophane it and so bring themselves under great Guilt and become liable to great Punishment for it therefore none such should dare to Approach this Ordinance until they Repent of their Sins and are Converted this Ordinance being appointed not to work Grace where it is wanting but to Increase and Strengthen it where it is already wrought 't is Childrens Bread and not to be given unto Dogs Yet know 2. If you are yet in a graceless State you are already in danger of Damnation for your other Sins though you keep from the guilt of this and so should as much fear it as those that are guilty of this Sin Nor is this Sin unpardonable but upon true Repentance both hath been and may be forgiven 3. The Sin of Eating and Drinking unworthily lies in a Persons not discerning the Lords Body that is in not distinguishing or not putting a difference between Ordinary and Common Bread and this Sacramental and Holy Bread by which the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ is signified and represented and in using this Bread with as little Preparation Care Regard and Reverence as he doth the other Now gracious Souls know there is a great difference between Common Bread and this Holy Bread and therefore will take due care to use it in an Holy and Reverent Manner and so keep from the guilt of unworthy Partaking though they are not altogether free from sinful Weaknesses and Infirmities in this as well as in other Duties which yet should not keep them off from this Ordinance because upon their Repentance they are Pardoned to them for Christs sake 4. The Threatning mentioned in the Text of Damnation or Judgment is not designed by the Apostle to affrighten Christians from this Ordinance but to Caution them against the Prophanation of it 5. Consider that the neglect of a known Duty and turning your backs upon an Ordinance of Christ is a Sin and makes liable to Damnation or Judgment as well as the ill performance of a Duty or the Partaking of an Ordinance unworthily and you ought to fear the one as well as the other It is well worth your Consideration what Christ intimates to us in that Parable of the Marriage-Feast of the Kings Son Mat. 22. That those who made Light of the Gracious Invitation and refused to come were at last as blame-worthy as those who came without a Wedding Garment and therefore as he was Punished for his Defect so were they for their Disobedience And most deservedly for of the two they were the greater Sinners it being a greater Sign of Contempt wholly to neglect an Ordinance of Christ than to Partake of it without some due Qualifications as one well Observes so that the only way to avoid the Danger on both Hands is to examine your selves carefully concerning your Right to and fitness for this Ordinance and when you have an Evidence of these so Eat of this Bread and Drink of this Cup with Holy Care and Reverence Obj. 6. But we fear to come to this Holy Ordinance lest we should Sin again after it and then what will become of us Ans 1. It must be acknowledged you have Cause enough to fear sinning after this Ordinance as well as before while you are liable to Temptations from without and have Corruption remaining within you inclining you to close with them The Sense of your danger should make you to watch against Temptations and Occasions of Sin and nourish in you a fear of Caution Such a fear while it keeps within its due Bounds is your Duty and of great use to prevent Sin But it is immoderate and sinful if it makes you neglect another known Duty as Receiving the Lords-Supper is and no better than being guilty of one Sin to avoid another 2. There is not a Child of God on Earth that is perfectly free from the danger of sinning while he is in this imperfect tempted State and you may not expect to be freed from it any more than others so that if none should come to this Ordinance but such as live without Sin we must all lay aside the Use of it for there are no such Persons on this side Heaven Eccl. 7.20 1 John 1.8 James 3.2 3. Know that the right Use of this Ordinance is a good mean to keep you from sinning being a solemn renewing your Covenant with God and a new Bond laid on your Souls to love and serve the Lord and walk the more Circumspectly and a means to strengthen Grace in you 4. If you do Sin after your Partaking of
provoked to inflict some Judgment upon them 4. Seeing the Lords-Supper is appointed for the increase and strengthening of Grace where it is and not for the working of Grace where it is not and so those that approach it should be only Gracious Persons if they would receive Benefit thereby for we must first live spiritually as well as naturally before we Eat and Drink therefore it is needful that the Pastor inquire also into the State of the Candidates Soul What experience he hath had of the workings of Gods Word and Spirit upon him What Reason he can give of the hope of Salvation that is in him What Evidences he hath of a saving change or work of Grace upon his Heart 1 Pet. 3.15 And for the better discovery of his Souls Condition direct him in that needful and useful Duty of Self-examination and Exhort him to a diligent performance of it and to an Holy Jealousie over his own Heart least he should be deceived by it in a Matter of so great Importance 1 Cor. 11.28 29. The Sacramental Catechism may be very helpful to him in this Work in which he will find the Marks or Signs of saving Grace and thereby may the better Judge of his own Case 4. When the Pastor hath received Satisfaction in these Points and in the Judgment of Charity believes him to have a Gospel-right to and fitness for this Ordinance it seems necessary at least on a prudential account and for the fuller Satisfaction of the Church that the Person be propounded to the Church when met together by Name and Place of Habitation and held as an Expectant for some convenient Time at least from the Time of his Proposal to the next Sacrament-day That the Members may have liberty and opportunity to Inquire whether he be well reported of and unblameable in his Conversation And that they first give the Pastor an Account of what they hear more Privately that if any thing be objected he may further inform himself as to the Truth of it and the Person be kept off until the Objection shall be removed and all concerned receive Satisfaction 5. When the Expectant is actually to be admitted and come before the Church The Pastor may signifie him to be the Person formerly propounded to them desiring to be joyned to them and admitted to full Communion with them requiring that if any Member remain yet unsatisfied he would Now speak or by their silence lifting up the Hand or other Signal testifie their unanimous Consent to his Admission which being done the Pastor may next desire him to make Profession of his Faith and own his Baptismal-Covenant addressing himself to him in these or such like Words Seeing you desire to be admitted into full Communion with this Church of Christ to walk with it in all Gospel-Ordinances and Duties and to partake with it in all Church-Priviledges and it being fit the Church should satisfied that every Person admitted a Member thereof do own and profess the same Principles of the Christian Faith which the Church professeth In Order to this Satisfaction you are desired to make true Answer to these following Questions Q. 1. Do you believe there is but one only Living and True God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which are Three distinct Persons and each of them God and yet all of them but One God Infinite Eternal and Unchangeable in his Being Wisdom Power Holiness Justice Goodness and Truth A. I do believe this Q. 2. Do you believe that this God from all Eternity ordained whatsoever comes to pass in Time and that in the beginning of Time he Created and made the whole World and all Things therein out of nothing by the Word of his Power in the space of six Days and all very Good and that he doth still uphold preserve and govern it according to his own Will and for his own Glory A. I do believe this Q. 3. Do you believe that God made Man upright after his own Image in Knowledge Righteousness and Holiness with Dominion over the Creatures here below and that he entred into a Covenant of Life with him upon Condition of Perfect Obedience forbidding him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon Pain of Death A. I do believe this Q. 4. Do you believe that our first Parents being left to the Freedom of their own Wills and hearkening to the Temptation of Satan Transgressed the Commandment of God by Eating the forbidden Fruit and so brake their Covenant with God and thereby brought themselves and all their Posterity descending from them by ordinary Generation into an Estate of Sin and Misery A. I do believe this Q. 5. Do you believe that Man thus fallen was not able to recover himself and that God having out of his meer good Pleasure elected some to Everlasting Life did enter into a Covenant of Grace to deliver them out of that Estate of Sin and Misery and to bring them into an Estate of Salvation by Christ as a Redeemer A. I do believe this Q. 6. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ being the Eternal and only begotten Son of God became Man also in the fulness of Time by taking to himself a true Body and a reasonable Soul being Conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost in the Womb of the Virgin Mary of her Humane Substance and born of her yet without Sin both in his Nature and Life and that so he was and continueth still to be both God and Man in Two distinct Natures and one Person for ever A. I do believe this Q. 7. Do you believe that this Redeemer of God Elect as a Prophet doth Teach his Church by his Word and Spirit the Will of God for their Salvation And as a Priest hath satisfied Divine Justice for their Sins and reconciled them to God by his once Offering up himself as a Sacrifice unto God in Suffering the Cursed Death of the Cross and now continually interceeds for them in Heaven and as a King subdues the Elect unto himself Ruleth and Defendeth them and Restrains and Conquers all his and their Enemies A. I do believe this Q. 8. Do you believe that though this Jesus Christ was put to Death and Buried yet he rose again from the Dead on the Third Day shewed himself to his Disciples and Conversed with them alive and afterward in the sight of divers of them ascended into Heaven where he still remaineth sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father from whence he shall come at the Day appointed by God to Judge the World in Righteousness A. I do believe this Q. 9. Do you believe that God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son hath fully and sufficiently Revealed the Will of God in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the perfect perpetual and only Rule of our Faith and Obedience And that the same Holy Spirit doth Effectually apply the Redemption purchased by
Christ with all the saving Benefits of his Mediation Death and Merits to the Elect by working Faith in them and thereby uniting them to Christ in their Effectual Calling A. I do believe this Q. 10. Do you believe that this Holy Spirit of God dwelleth and worketh in all that are Effectually Called and drawn to Christ And that all Gods Elect being united unto Christ as to their Common Head make up one Catholick Church or Mystical Body of Christ the Members whereof having Fellowship with God the Father Son and Spirit by Faith and one with one another by Love do in this Life partake of Justification Adoption and Sanctification with all the Benefits that do accompany or flow from them And that their Souls at Death are made perfect in Holiness and do immediately pass into Glory but their Bodies being still united to Christ do rest in their Graves till the Resurrection A. I do believe this Q. 11. Do you believe that these precious Benefits purchased by Christ are dispensed to the Elect by the Holy Spirit of God in the Use of his Sacred Ordinances the Word Sacraments and Prayer as being the means appointed by God for the Working Increasing and Perfecting of Grace in their Hearts and that therefore these Ordinances are duly and reverently to be used and carefully improved by Christians to these spiritual Ends until Christs second Coming A. I do believe this Q. 12. Do you believe that in the general Resurrection at the last Day all the Righteous shall be raised up in Glory by Vertue of their Union unto Christ their Head and shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted by him their Judge and so made perfectly Blessed in the Full and Eternal Enjoyment of God in Heaven whereas the Wicked also shall be raised by the Power of Christ but shall be condemned by him and sent into Everlasting Punishment in Hell A. I do believe this Q. 1. Do you also own and heartily Consent unto your Covenant with God in Baptism that is repenting of your Sins against God and renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil Do you take the only Living and True God for your only God and Chief Good God the Father to be your God and Father God the Son to be your Redeemer and Saviour and God the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier Guide and Comforter And do you sincerely give up your whole Self Soul and Body to this one God as his Covenant-Servant to Believe Love and Obey him constantly and faithfully according to his Word and that unto the Death A. I do this sincerely as far as I know my own Heart Q. 2. Are you desirous to partake of the Holy Ordinance of the Lords-Supper as being a Seal of the Covenant of Grace That thereby this Covenant between God and you may be Renewed and Confirmed and that you may thereby keep in thankful Memory the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ A. This is my unfeigned Desire Q. 3. Do you truly Consent and Promise to submit to the Holy Discipline and Government which the Lord Jesus Christ the only Head and Law-giver of his Church hath ordained for his own Glory and his Churches good and in particular to submit to the spiritual Guidance and over-sight of the Pastor of this Church according to the Mind of Christ A. I do truly Consent and Promise so to do Q. 4. Will you also patiently submit to the Christian Admonitions and Reproofs of your Fellow-Members in this Church and conscientiously perform the same Duty towards them if occasion so require according to Christs own command for Church Order A. I will do so the Lord enabling me These Questions thus Proposed and Answered The Pastor may apply himself to the Person concerned in these or such like Expressions Upon this serious and credible Profession of the Christian Faith which you have now made before God and this Church the Renewing of your Covenant with God and the Satisfaction I have had concerning the suitableness of your Conversation * Here I humbly conceive the Imposition of the Pastors Hands may properly take Place I Receive and admit you into full Communion with this Church of Christ to walk with it in all Gospel-Ordinances and Duties and to partake with it in all Gospel-Priviledges And I as the Pastor thereof Exhort and Beseech you yea I Charge and Command you in the Name of the Chief Sheppard our Lord Jesus Christ That you hold fast this Christian Faith which you have now professed and be faithful and stedfast in that Covenant with God which you have now Renewed And that denying all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts you live Soberly Righteously and Godlily in this present World that you may also be received by Christ and owned by him in the great Day as a living Member of his Mystical Body and God in Covenant may be your God and Portion for ever When Imposition of Hands shall be used it seems proper to joyn a short Prayer with it at the close of this Exhortation for Christs gracious Reception of the Person thus admitted Gods favourable Acceptance of him through Christ the Confirming of his Covenant with him and bestowing the Grace of the Covenant upon him c. Mean while the Pastor may put up such Petitions for him in his Prayer before the Celebration of this Ordinance Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti Si non His utere mecum If thou know'st what doth more with Rule agree Kindly impart it Or use this with me FINIS BOOKS Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside A Treatise of the Institution right Administration and receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord 's upper By Mr. Richard Vines A True Touch-stone of Grace and Nature or a Discourse concerning Self-examination with Meditations relating to the Lord's Supper By Mr. N. Vincent late Minister of the Gospel A Communicant Instructed or Practical Directions for worthy receiving of the Lord's Supper By Fran. Roberts M. A. Convivium Caeleste or a Discourse concerning the Lord's Supper shewing at once the Nature of that â—acrament as also the right Way of preparing our selVes for the receiving of it c. by the Right Reverend Father in God Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells Sacramental Discourses on several Texts before and after the Lord's Supper By John Shower Sacramental Discourses upon several Subjects to which is added a Discourse of the Life of Faith By Christopher Amirant Minister of the Gospel in Norfolk The Welcome Communicant or a Brief Discourse directing the weakest Christian proceeding from Grace to Grace how he may come with cheerfulness to the Lord's Table The Worthy Communicant or a Treatise shewing the due Order of receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper By Jeremiah Dyke The Fountain of Life opened Or a display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory containing Forty Sermons on various Texts 4 to Pneumatologia Or a Treatise of the Soul of Man 4 to Both by Mr. John Flavel Late Minister in Dartmouth Scripture-Light about the Gospel-Ordinance of Baptism in a Letter to some Scrupulous Friends A Treatise of the Lord's Sufferings By Tho. Doolittle M. A. Monthly Preparations for the Holy Communion By R. B. To which is added suitable Meditations before in and after Receiving with Divine Hymns in Common Tunes A Treatise on the Sacrament By Tho. Watson The Poor Mans Melp and Young Man's Guide An Argumentative and Practical Discourse of Infant-Baptism These two by W. Burkitt Rector of Dedham in Essex An Allarm to unconverted Sinners By Jos Alâ—â—â— Discourses concerning the Rich Man and Laâ—arus By Tim. Cruso Late Minister of the Gospel â—n London The Golden Snuffers a Sermon Preached to the Society for Reformation of Manners By Dan â—urgess Proofs of God's Being and of the Scriptures Divine Original with Twenty Directions for the profitable Reading of them By D. Burgess Holy Confidence well improved by Nehemiah and the Jews whose Faith and Spirit were consider'd and applied to the Societies for Reformation oâ— Manners In a Sermon at Salters Hall in London Aug. 16. 2697. By Mat. Sylvester A Looking-Glass for the Unmarried wherein they may see these five Things viz. 1. Thâ— Benefits Helps and Comforts of Marriage 2. How they may proceed regularly in Order to Marriage 3. How to make a Happy Choice 4. How to demean themselves to each other in Order to Family Peace and Concord 5. The Relative Duty of Husband and Wife The Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel Or an impartial Enquiry into the genuine Doctrine of St. Paul in the great but much controverted Article of Justification to which are prefixed the Epistles of the Right Reverend the Bishops of Ely Worcester and Chester By Mr. John Humfrey Mr. John Humfrey's Friendly Interposer between the Authors of those Papers the one called A Report the other A Rebuke of that Report in Order to a sound Reconciliation between the Presbyterian and the Independents in Doctrinals by preparing a Third Way when both of them are out in theâ—â— own Way The Swearers Doom or a Discourse against Vainâ— and Rash Swearing By John Rost A. M. Rectoâ— of Offwel and Gittisham in Devon A Body of Practical Divinity containing a hundred seventy six Sermons upon the Assemblies shorteâ— Catechism By Tho. Watson Folio An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry Minister of the Gospel near Whit-church in Shropshire