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 Presented by Mr Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Ag.'inv Coll. on Baptism, No. 
 
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A NEW 
 
 OFFICE 
 
 O F 
 
 BAPTISM, 
 
 FORMED BY THE 
 
 C A N ON 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 NEW-TESTAMENT, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for C.Henderson, under the 
 Royal-Exchange, iys9' 
 
4A4^ 
 
 ^% 
 
 T T H E X'^ 
 
 CHRISTIAN READER. 
 
 
 
 iHIS New Office of Bap« 
 I tifm was firfl compofed 
 ^li for the Author's particular 
 Ufe in the Difcharge of his paftoral 
 Duty, and has been approved in its 
 Apphcation. 
 
 It IS built, as nearly as my Care 
 
 and Judgment could bring it, upon 
 
 A 3 the 
 
 
(vi) 
 
 the Foundation laid in the New 
 Teftament by Jefus Chrift, the Au- 
 thor and Finiflier of our common 
 Faith, expreffed in the Words of his 
 divine Inflitution, and explained to 
 his Difciples by the Inftrudions and 
 Pradice of the Apoflles and Evan- 
 geUfts. 
 
 It now appears, after many lerl- 
 ous Revifals, to obtain the Correc- 
 tion and Amendments of thofe to' 
 whom it may prove in any Degree 
 acceptable, as an Eflay towards a 
 better Adminiftration and Ufe of an 
 Inflitution of the chriftian Rehgion. 
 
 I have much indeed to apprehend 
 
 from 
 
( vii ) 
 
 ffbm the Singularity of this Atte'mpt, 
 on a Subjed of fiich high Importance 
 and Concern to every chriftian Com- 
 munity : My Acquaintance with hun 
 man Nature, and the Affairs of the 
 World, forbid me to expe6l this 
 new Office, &^c, to pais without 
 Oppofition, and even Cenfure; and 
 lefs Refolution to bear Self-reproach 
 than what the Prejudices and Paf- 
 fion of Man can in Aid, had pre, 
 vented this public Attempt to re- 
 ftore from the Confufion and Wan- 
 tonnefs of Superftition, and to ma- 
 ni;eft the Simplicity and Excellence 
 of a Rite, calculated by the Son of 
 God for the rational Ufe and Im- 
 provement of all BeUevers. 
 
 A 4 As 
 
i viii ) 
 
 As I have no Right to judge for 
 any but myfelf, I difclaim all In- 
 clination to impofe upon the Belief 
 nnd Worfhip of others, even what I 
 myfelf hold facred, and is my ap- 
 parent Duty. Leaving therefore my 
 chriftian Brethren and Fellow-fer- 
 vants to ftand or fall by the Sen- 
 tence of our common Mafler, (who 
 knows how to have Compaffion on 
 the Ignorant, and them who are 
 out of the Way) I fubmit the Rec- 
 titude and Utility of this new Of- 
 fice, &^c. to the free and candid 
 Animadverfions of its Readers of 
 every Denomination, for v^hofe Scru- 
 tiny and Service it is intended, in full 
 Perfiiafion that ^' whatfoever is not 
 
 of 
 
( i'^ ) 
 
 of Faith is Sin." Rom. xiv. 23. As, 
 on the other Hand, " to him who 
 '* knoweth (or thinks that he khov/s) 
 " to do good, and does it not, to him 
 " it- is Sin." James iy. 17. 
 
 What the learned and worthy 
 Authors of the free and candid Dif- 
 quifitions, &c, have faid in Behalf 
 of a general Review, I would pre- 
 liime, nearly in their Words, to fay 
 in Behalf of this EfTay, confidered 
 as a Form or Model only, by which 
 to ijluftrate the Ufe and Admini- 
 ftration of the chriftian Rite of 
 Baptifm. " This : Treatife I leave to 
 ftand or fall as juft Reafons /hall de- 
 termine. If it has not Truth to 
 
 fupport. 
 
fopport, and Charity to recommend 
 it, I wifli it no Succefs, nor can ex- 
 pe6l it will receive any Approbation 
 from the Public. But if it ftands 
 upon Reafon, and is managed with 
 Decency, Sobriety, and Truth, I 
 cannot be fo little concerned for its 
 Succefs, as not to wifh it the greateft, 
 nor for its Treatment in the World, 
 as not to defire it may be a civil and 
 candid one ; which yet the Preju- 
 dices of Men, numerous and pre- 
 vailing as they are, give me but little 
 Reafon to promife myfelf. And 
 provided I meet with fewer of the 
 bad EfFeds of them than thofe have 
 done who have gone before me in 
 the fame difficult Work of Refor- 
 mation, 
 
(xi) 
 
 mation, Ifliall think my felf not un- 
 favourably dealt with. 
 
 Whatever may be the Confequence, 
 the prefent Senfe of my Duty prompts 
 me to declare myfelf accountable for 
 the whole Contents of this new Of- 
 fice of Baptifm, &*€, as for the Caufes 
 alfo of its Publication.'* Thefe the 
 attentive Reader may partly collect 
 from what the learned and pious 
 Authors of Difquifitions relating to 
 th^ -Church oi England^ have faid 
 in their free and candid Treatife, 
 Pages 129^ 130. 
 
 « As to the OjfEce of Infant- 
 
 * Baptifm, we have only this to re- 
 
 * mark, that many Things in it are 
 
 'of 
 
(xii) 
 
 * ofveryobfcure Meaning and doubt-* 
 ' ful Interpretation, which it is hot 
 
 * eafy either to explain fatisfadorily to 
 
 * Men of common Underftanding, or 
 
 * defend with Succefs againft Men of 
 
 * fubtile and fhrewd Reafoning. 
 
 ^ And as to the Frame and Defign 
 ' of it, the Office in the Judgement, 
 
 * of many, feems much better adapted 
 
 * throughout to the State of Adults 
 
 * than to that of Infants, which we 
 ' believe any fenfible and unprejudi- 
 f ced Man will,upon an attentive Sur- 
 
 * vey, be eafily convinced of. 
 
 ' Whether, or how far it will be 
 ^ prudent to attempt, or feafible to 
 
 < efFedt 
 
( xlii ) 
 
 * effed a jiift Alteration in this OfEce, 
 ^ and reduce it to a proper Standard, is 
 ^ not for us to fay, and is left to bet- 
 
 * ter Judges to confider ; but we have 
 ^ feen a Specimen to this Purpofe hand- 
 
 * ed about amongFriends, which feem- 
 ^ ed, in a very natural and eafy Man- 
 
 * ner, to remove all Difficulties, yet 
 
 * fiill retaining the Subftance of the 
 
 * prefent,and proceeding moftly upon 
 ^ the Plan of it. We had it lately at 
 
 * our Option to infert that Specimen 
 ^ in this Work, but chofe for fome 
 ^ Reafons to decline the friendly Of- 
 
 * fer. 
 
 ^ If indeed it fliould be found by 
 f Degrees, that particular Inquiry 
 
 ^ (hould 
 
{ yiv ) 
 
 ^ fliould be made after it, by honeft 
 
 * and worthy Perfons, our Advice to 
 
 * the Proprietor was, and is jftill, that 
 
 * he would be pleafed to conlider of 
 
 * a proper Method of communicating 
 
 * to fome few of the principal Mem- 
 
 * bers of the Convocation, fubmitting 
 
 * it wholly and freely to their Judg* 
 
 * ment, and leaving them to make 
 
 * what Vk of it they fhall think 
 
 * proper.'* 
 
 u 
 
 * " I remember (fays one of our Corref- 
 pondents) that when, feveral Years ago, I had 
 fome Converfation with the learned Dr. Water- 
 land, upon the Subjefb of the Baptifmal Office^ 
 he freely owned to me, that he fuppofed the 
 Compilers, in the drawing up of this Office, 
 had a View to Adults, as well as to Infants ; 
 And I have obferved fmce, that our Reformers, 
 
 in 
 
(xv) 
 
 If the Contents of this Quotation 
 are not thought a fufEcient Reafon, 
 or rejeded as an impertinent Apo- 
 logy for this Publication, the Reader 
 
 may 
 
 Jn one of the Rubrics of their firft Liturgy, 
 fpeak of grown Children being brought to be 
 baptized, as a Thing ufual, and intended by the 
 Church : And, in their Book, entitled, Refor- 
 matio legum eccle/iqfiicarum. Tit. de divinis pffi- 
 ciisy c. 9. give particular Diredlions for prepa- 
 ring Children for Baptifm, which may, in fome 
 Meafure, corroborate the Obfervation which that 
 learned Perfon made to me : To which we may 
 add, that, long before our Reformation, the 
 Council of Winchejler, in the eleventh Century, 
 ordered that Baptifm fhould be adminiftered only 
 at Eajier and JVhitfuntide, unlefs the Perfon's 
 Life was in imminent Danger : On which Mr. 
 Collier^ in his Ch. Hift. Vol. I. page 249, makes 
 this Remark, " That it is probable, if the Ads 
 of the Council were extant, we fliould find, that 
 none but adult Perfons are comprehended under 
 the Meaning of this Canon, i^c, 
 
( xvi ) 
 
 may exped more and greater 
 Reafons, fuch as the Author is rea- 
 dy and willing to produce, for the 
 Satisfadion of any honeft and wor- 
 thy Perfon, who may call for them 
 with Meeknefs and Fear, /. e, with 
 a Ibber and candid Spirit, fuch as the 
 Dignity of the Subjed demands, and 
 the Importance of the Inquiry dic- 
 tates. Witmfs my Hand, 
 
 Taunton, 
 Aug. I. 1759. 
 
 Richard Harrison^ 
 
 4 
 
NEW 
 
 Office of Baptism. 
 
 *4 O -r C* -^^ 
 
 X 
 
 
 FORMED BY THE 
 
 Canon of the New Testament. 
 
 Proper Sentences* 
 
 OOD and upright is the Lord : 
 
 therefore will he teach Sinners 
 
 in the Way. The Meek will 
 
 he guide in judgment : the 
 
 Meek will he teach his Way." Pf. xxv. 
 
 B Who- 
 
[ 2 3 
 
 *' Whofoever (]iallbea{hamedofme,and 
 " of my words (fays Chrifl the Lord) of 
 *' him fhall the Son of Man be afhamed, 
 " when he fhall come in his own and his 
 " Father's Glory, and in that of the Holy 
 " Angels." Luke, ix. 26. 
 
 Let us fray y 
 O Lord, our heavenly Father, the al- 
 mighty and everliving God, who, from thy 
 heavenly Throne, continually beholdell all 
 the Dwellers upon Earth ; look down, we 
 befeech thee, in great Condefcenfion and 
 Favour, from the Habitation of thy Holi- 
 nefs and Glory, upon thy People who now 
 prefent ourfelves before God in Obedience 
 to thy holy Word ; to call upon thy great 
 Name, and to pay our Homage to thy fa- 
 cred Majefty ; to offer up our common 
 Supplications and Thankfgivings to the 
 Throne of thy Grace and Mercy, for the 
 Pardon of our Sins, for the Supply of our 
 various Wants, and for the encreafe and 
 eftablidiment of our Virtues and Piety ; to 
 
 receive 
 
[ 3 ] 
 
 receive the Inflruflions of thy holy Word, 
 that are able to make us wife to Salvation, 
 and to perform with Reverence and grate- 
 ful Devotion thofe inflrumental Duties of 
 Religion which thy Son Jefus Chrifl has 
 prefcribed for the perpetual Ufe, Improve- 
 ment, and Happinefs of his Difciples and 
 Followers. 
 
 Be merciful, O Father, to our paft Un- 
 righteoufnefs, and, in the Multitude of thy 
 tender Mercies, forgive all our Sins -, that 
 no prefumptuous Ads or Habits of Iniqui- 
 ty may have Dominion over us, to inter- 
 rupt and fpoil our Devotions, or rob us of 
 the Improvement, and Pleafure, of thy ac- 
 ceptable Worfhippers. 
 
 *' When we contemplate the Heavens, the 
 *' Work of thy Fingers, the Moon and the 
 " Stars, which thou haft ordained, What is 
 *' Man, O Lord, that thou art mindful of 
 *' him," or the degenerate Sons of Men,that 
 we fhould attempt the Praifes of the Mod 
 B 2 High, 
 
t 4 ] 
 
 High, who art woriliipped by Angels, and 
 in whofe Sight the Heavens themfelves are 
 not clean. *' But, though Heaven is God's 
 *' Throne, and the Earth his Footflool,the 
 *' Lord is nigh unto all who call upon him 
 *' in Sincerity -, he will fulfill the Deiires of 
 *' them who fear him -j he alfo will hear the 
 *' Cry"of thePenitent,and*'will fave them." 
 
 With warm and fervent Gratitude, we 
 give Thanks to the God and Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, who art reconciling the 
 World unto thyfelf, not imputing to Men 
 their forfaken Sins -, in whofe Name we are 
 indulged with free Accefs to the Throne 
 of Grace and Mercy, in full AfTurance that 
 *' God, who fpared not his own beloved 
 " Son, but freely gave him for us all, will, 
 " with him, alfo give us all Things." 
 
 May this rich and glorious Privilege, 
 which we thy guilty Creatures enjoy, of 
 addreffins: our reconciled Father, in the 
 Name of thy Son Jefus Chrift, be negled:- 
 
 ed 
 
[ 5 ] 
 
 ed by none of thy Servants, nor prove in 
 vain for Want of thofe pious and good 
 Difpofitions with which it becomes us to 
 bow down ourfelves before the Lord our 
 Maker: that all our future Devotions, both 
 publick and private, may be performed fo 
 as to be acceptable in thy Sight, and help 
 us on continually in our Way and Meet- 
 nefs for the Employments, and Felicity, of 
 our Father's Kingdom in Heaven. 
 
 O holy and omnifcient God, to whom 
 all Hearts are open, all Defires ki^own, 
 and from whom no Secrets are hid ; may 
 we thy Servants be efFedually preferved 
 from all Indifference and Formality in Re- 
 ligion, and, more efpecially from the Info- 
 lence and fatal Prefumptions of Hypocrify, 
 having our Minds duly pofTeffed with a 
 Senfe of the infinite Majefty and Goodnefs 
 of the God we worlliip, and the great Im- 
 portance of thefe our religious AfTem- 
 blies. 
 
 B3 With 
 
[ 6 ] 
 
 With Faith and Sincerity may we now 
 make our AddrefTes to a Being of infinite 
 Wifdom and almighty Power, the Former 
 and Judge of our Hearts, who cannot be 
 deceived, and will not be mocked, and to 
 whom the Pretences of Hypocrites are A- 
 bomination. 
 
 Evermore may we efteem it our chief 
 Privilege and Felicity to hold Communion 
 with our heavenly Father, and almighty 
 Friend 5 and experiencing the growing Im- 
 provement and Confolations of devout 
 "Worfhippers, may we perfift in the Per- 
 formance of every known Duty of chri- 
 ftian Piety to the End of our Lives, and, 
 in Oppofition to every Difficulty or Temp- 
 tation that can affault us, for Chrift's Sake, 
 and the Teflimony and Hope of a good 
 Confcience 5 being " ftedfaft, immoveable, 
 ** and always abounding in the Work of 
 *' the Lord, knowing that our Labour fhall 
 ** not be in vain in the Lord," 
 
 To 
 
[ 7 ] 
 
 To thee, the great Objedl of Religion, 
 and bountiful Rewarder of all who dili- 
 gently feek thee, we particularly recom- 
 mend the pious Difpolition of thy Servant, 
 who, at this Time, prefents himfelf volun- 
 tarily before God in this chriflian AfTembly. 
 to perform the Duty, and to receive the 
 Privileges of Baptifm, according to the In- 
 ftitution, and in Obedience to the Com- 
 mand of thy Son Jefus Chrifl our Lord. 
 Profper, we befeech thee, (with the Blef- 
 fing that always attends the Upright) the 
 Word of Exhortation which may now be 
 propounded, agreeable to the facred Scrip- 
 ture, that it may be efFedual to eflablifh 
 the Faith, Penitence, and good Refolu- 
 tions of thy Servant ; and to affifl him in 
 the Exercife of every Grace requifite for 
 making and performing this facred Vow 
 of the chriftian Religion, and perfifting 
 to verify his chriftian Profeflion by adorning 
 it with " a Converfation becoming the Gof- 
 ** pel 3" may he find it the *' Power of God 
 B 4 to 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 ** to his eternal Salvation, and not the Sa- 
 ** vour of Death, or Occafion of his forer 
 " Condemnation." 
 
 May it be the growing Improvement and 
 Satisfadion of all Believers, to walk in 
 every Ordinance and Command of our 
 Lord blamelefs, according to their Ability 
 and refpedive Conviction of their Duty and 
 beft Interefl: Hereby may we " approve 
 ** ourfelves Fellow Citizens of the Saints,and 
 *' theHouflioldof Godjwho are built upon 
 *^ the Foundation of the Apoftles and Pro- 
 " phets, Jefus Chrift himfelf being the chief 
 *' Corner-flone 3 in whom all the Building, 
 *' fitly framed together, groweth unto an 
 " holy Temple in the Lord j till finally we 
 <' fliall all come in Unity of Spirit, by the 
 <* Bond of Peace, and in Righteoufnefs of 
 «' Life, to the general Afiembly and Church 
 *' of the Firfl-bcrn, whofe Names arewrit- 
 *« ten in Heaven ; to an innumerable Com- 
 ** pany of Angels, and of the Spirits of 
 *J juft Men, made perfed, to Jefus the 
 
 *f Media- 
 
[ 9 ] 
 
 " Mediator of thenewCovenant,andtoGod 
 ** himfelf, the Father and Judge of all ; in 
 *' whofe prefence is Fulnefs of Joy, and at 
 ** whofe Right-hand are Pleafures for ever 
 *' more 3" all which we humbly afk of thee 
 for thy Mercies Sake, O God, in Jefus 
 Chrift our Lord, in whofe Words, we are 
 encouraged to pray : Our Father, &c. 
 
 LESSONS 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 Proper Psalms and Lessons. 
 
 II. PA. xxvi. Pf. cxviw from the 21 verfeto 
 the End. I. Pet. iii. ver. 8, to the End. 
 Ads viii. Chapter throughout. 
 
 SECT. I. 
 
 Exhortation to the Terfon to he baptized, 
 
 IN prefentlng yourfelf before God, and 
 thefe Witneffes and Members of his 
 Church, to be baptized in the Name of his 
 Son Jefus Chrlft, and into the holy Pro- 
 feffion of his Gofpel, we prefume in Cha- 
 rity, and have good Caufe to believe, you 
 are determined, by the clear and ftrong 
 Senfe of your Duty, and vi^ith fuch Views 
 and Difpofitions as your own Confcience 
 
 approves; 
 
[ .1 ] 
 
 approves 3 fuch as are acceptable to God, 
 and, through his Bleffing upon your faith- 
 ful Circumfpedtion and Diligence in the 
 Chriftian Calling, will terminate in the heft 
 Improvement, and Happinefs of your Soul. 
 
 You know, and are ferloufly to remem- 
 ber on this Occalion, that whatever Pro- 
 feffion of Religion you make, but efpeci- 
 ally in ufing that facred Rite, which, for 
 this Purpofe, the Wifdom of the Chriftian 
 Lawgiver has appointed, you will incur 
 the Guilt of prophaning it, and become 
 chargeable with doing, what muft needs be 
 difpleafing, and highly offeniive to the all- 
 wife and holy Being, who cannot be de- 
 ceived, and will not be mocked 5 if herein 
 you are determined, by any Regard to your 
 Worldly Intereft, or Reputation, more than 
 by your reverent Affecltion to the Mind 
 and Will of God, made known to us by 
 his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord, or without 
 your earneft Defire, and Refolution, of ob- 
 taining the Benefits, and Bleffings, of your 
 
 Chriftian 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 Chrlltian ProfdlTion, by adorning It with a 
 Temper and Behaviour becoming the Gof- 
 pel. 
 
 What therefore we propound to your 
 previous Conlideration, before we admini- 
 iler to you the Rite of Baptifm, is chari- 
 tably meant to affift your Recolledion, and 
 eflablifh your Judgment of the Authority, 
 and Defign. of this divine Inftitution, and 
 
 Y to declare the QuaHiications,and Benefits,of 
 
 its wife and worthy Obfervers j that, find- 
 ing yourfelf poffefTed of thefe Scripture- 
 qualifications, you may be warrantably en- 
 
 • couraged to expe(5l from it, all the great 
 
 Privilege?,and Improvements,that are in the 
 Word of God, annexed to the prefent, and 
 continued Integrity, of your Chriflian Pro- 
 feffion, and Charader. 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 13 ] 
 
 SECT. II. 
 
 The Ground, and Authority, of Chrijl's Infti- 
 tiition of Baptifm. 
 
 THE God and Father of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrifl, having '' loofed the Bands 
 " of Death, and raifed him up on the third 
 '* Day, (according to the Predidion of 
 ** the Spirit of Holinefs) whereby he was de- 
 •" clared the Son of God, with Power.** Je- 
 fus came, and fpake to his Difciples, faying, 
 All Power is given unto me in Heaven and 
 in Earth : Go ye therefore and teach all 
 Nations, baptizing them in the Name of 
 the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Ghofl. Matth, xxviii. i8, 19. 
 
 So that the Authority enforcing this Or- 
 dinance of Baptifm, is no other, than that of 
 the one-only- fupreme, felf-exiftent, and 
 
 eternal 
 
[ 14 ] 
 
 eternal God, given to his Son Jefus Chrlft, 
 and deputed by him to his chofen Apoftles. 
 For He who receiveth you (fays Chrift) re- 
 ceivcth me ; and he who receiveth me, re- 
 ceiveth him who fent me. Matth. x. 40. 
 
 For the better Comprehenfion of the 
 Signification, and Ufe , of the Commiffion 
 of our Lord to his Apoftles,exprefly ground- 
 ed (as you fee) on that univerfal Power 
 (or Authority) the Son of God affirms 
 himfelf to have received from the Father 
 immediately upon his Refurredtion, two 
 Things are prevloufly to be conlidered, viz. 
 What we are taught to underftand in gene- 
 ral, by being baptized into the Name of a 
 Perfon 5 and what in particular, by Baptifm 
 into the Name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghoft ? 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 15 ] 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 What the Scriptures in general teach us to 
 underftand by Baptifm into the Name of a 
 Perfon ? 
 
 BY being baptized into the Name of a 
 Perfon, what lefs can be meant or 
 underfloodjthan that the Perfon fo baptized 
 has been inftru(5ted in the Dodrine, and 
 owns the Authority, of fome Teacher and 
 Publisher of Religion, whofe Difciple, and 
 the Follower of whofe Dodrine, the bap- 
 tized Perfon thereby folemnly profelTeth 
 himfelf to be ? (See Dr. Clark's Sermons 
 on Baptifm, Vol. 4. OS:.) This impor- 
 tant Signification, and Ufe of Baptifm, ap- 
 pears in the Cafe of all who by the Preach- 
 ing of John Eaptift were prevailed upon to 
 avow their Duty and Refolution to repent 
 
 and 
 
[ i6 ] 
 
 and amend their Lives, through a firm 
 Belief of the Promife given them of the 
 Mefliah then fpeedily to appear, who, con- 
 vinced of the Truth of John's Affertion, 
 (that for this Caufe, and to this End, God 
 had fent him to baptize with Water) were 
 accordingly baptized (as it is written) into 
 John's Baptifm, A6ls xix. 3. And were 
 called the Difciples of John, Matth. ix. 14. 
 
 In like Manner, and for the fame ma- 
 nifefl Reafon, they who afterwards were 
 converted to the Belief and Profeffion of 
 Chriftianity by the Preaching and Miracles 
 of Jefus and his Apoflles, were baptized 
 into the Name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghofl. By this 
 Adlion, they declared the folemn Profeffion 
 they were required to make, of their be- 
 lieving the whole Docftrine, and of their 
 Duty and Refolution to obey all the Pre- 
 cepts of that Religion which God, the Fa- 
 ther Almighty, had revealed and taught by 
 his Son Jefus Chriu, and confirmed by the 
 
 miraculous 
 
[ J7 ] 
 
 miraculous Tellimony and Demon ^rations 
 of the Holy Ghoft, which being the very 
 Thing as (briefly, and in other Words) 
 profefiing themfelves Chriftians, or Dif- 
 ciples of Chrift 3 they are el fe where fpo- 
 ken of (in a general and lefs diftind Man- 
 ner of Expreffion) as having '' been bap- 
 " tized in the Name of the Lord Jefu?," 
 Ads viii. 16. or " in the Name of Jefus 
 ■** Chrift, for the Remiffion of Sins," Adts 
 
 ii. 38. 
 
 St. Paul's Declaration to the Church in 
 Galafia gives this View of the Nature and 
 Defign of Baptifm, Gal. iii. 27. " For 
 *' as many of you as have been baptized 
 " into Chrift have put on Chrift j'' where- 
 in is evidently expreffed the Manner 
 of their Profeffion,and that they had avowed 
 themfelves Difciples of Chrift, by being 
 baptized in his Name. 
 
 Thefe 
 
[ i8 ] 
 
 Thefe Confiderations we truft have made 
 the true Import and Signification of being 
 baptized into the Name of a Perfon, both 
 obvious and ufeful to your Underflanding j 
 as more particularly, what the Nature and 
 Duty of that holy Profeffion is, you are this 
 Day about to make, and which the Wif- 
 dom of the Chriftian Lawgiver com- 
 mands all the Believers of his Gofpel to 
 take upon themfelves more folemnly, by 
 this fignificant and divine Rite. 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 19 ] 
 
 SECT. IV. 
 
 What we are to underjland by Baptifm into 
 the Name of the Father ^ Son, and Holy 
 
 Ghojl. 
 
 Y your Baptifm into the Name of the 
 Father, you declare yourfclf the Crea- 
 ture and Subjed: of the one felf-exiftent, 
 eternal, and mod high God, the Father, 
 and fupreme Head of all the Families in 
 Heaven and in Earth ; to whom the utmofb 
 Affedtion and Obedience of his rational 
 
 Offspring are naturally and indifpenfably 
 due. 
 
 Whom Chridians more particularly con- 
 
 fefs by this Ad; and Duty of our Religion 
 
 to be the God and Father of our Lord Je- 
 
 fus Chrift • being commanded by him to 
 
 C 2 confecrate 
 
[- , 20 ] 
 
 confecrate Themfelves (as Chrill himfelf 
 alfo did by his perfonal Baptifm) to the 
 reafonable and moil: honourable Service of 
 the one abfolute Creator and Lord of the 
 Univerfe, by their voluntary and folemn' 
 Baptifm into the moft venerable Name '' of 
 " his Father and our Father, of his God 
 " and our God." John xx. 17. 
 
 To be baptized into tlie Name of the 
 Son, fuppofes your previous Convidion, 
 and that, by this holy Rite, you folemnly 
 exprefs your Belief, that Chrill: does verily 
 polTefs all the great Charadlers, and will 
 hereafter fully execute every important Of- 
 fice afcrib'd to him in the Scriptures of 
 Truth. 
 
 Particularly, that with your Mind feri- 
 oufly engaged in this Solemnity of his own 
 Inftitution, you acknowledge the Relation 
 fubfifting between you and him, in any of 
 thefe important Charaders you find to be 
 in the New Teftament afcribed to him; viz. 
 
 That 
 
 / 
 
C 21 ] 
 
 That he is your Saviour and Lord, your 
 Mediator and Lawgiver, the only authorita- 
 tive Revealer of the Will of God to you 
 in the prefent Time, and ordained by the 
 Wifdom of his heavenly Father to be your 
 righteous Judge and Rewarder at the laft 
 Day. 
 
 By this yov7 of your Baptifm, you bind 
 yourfelf to be his Difciple and Follower, 
 who are to receive from him the Dodtrine 
 of true Religion 3 to look upon him as the 
 Way, the Truth, and the Life ; to adhere 
 ftedfaftly to what he has taught, and to 
 pradlife carefully whatever he has com- 
 manded you in his Gofpel. 
 
 Finally, to be baptized into the Name 
 of the Holy Ghoft, manifeftly fuppofeth 
 your Belief, and demands of the Perfon. 
 fo baptized his folemn Acknowledgment 
 01 the Exigence of this holy Spirit of God, 
 and of the feveral important Offices you 
 can find plainly afcribed to the Holy Ghofl 
 C 3 in 
 
[ 22 ] 
 
 in the facred Record of infallible Truth, 
 viz. 
 
 That this divine Spirit of Grace and 
 Truth was infpired miraculoufly and im- 
 mediately into the Minds of the holy Pro- 
 phets and Apoftles, for the fufhcient In- 
 flruction and perpetual Benefit of all Chri- 
 ftians, to the End of the World. And by 
 Baptifm in his Name, you enter yourfelf 
 into a more folemn Engagement j That 
 you will duly confult and follow the In- 
 ftrudions of this Holy Spirit, as they are 
 jiow tendered and laid before you in the 
 New Teftament of Jefus Chrifl:, fo far as 
 you are, or flhall be capable to underftand 
 and obey this his written Gofpel, by your 
 conftant, religious Ufe of the befl Means 
 wherewith the good Providence ^^f Hea- 
 ven may fupply you for this mofl: defirable 
 and falutary Purpofe. 
 
 Thefe feveral ObliQ-ations and Duties 
 f;very Reliever of the Chriflian Dodlrine 15 
 
 required 
 
C 23 ] 
 
 required to inforce upon his Mind more 
 effedually, and with deeper Solemnity, by 
 the Vow of his Chriftian Baptifm into the 
 Name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
 of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 C 4 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 SECT. V. 
 
 The moral Ufe and Influence of Baptifm. 
 
 \JIE\NED in this Light, it muft needs 
 appear to your Underftanding and 
 Confcience, th^t ycur Profeffion of the 
 Name of Chrift, and being baptized into 
 his Religion, is nothing, nay, worfe than 
 nothing, without being folicitous to know 
 "Vvhat -his Dodlrine truly is, and careful to 
 obey thofe excellent Laws which the Son 
 of God has both prefcribed and exempli- 
 fitd to us. 
 
 Wherefore let no Man vainly imagine 
 i'laaOl^Title to tK§ Bleffings promifed in 
 the Gofpel depends upon his bearing the 
 Name of a Chriftian, without his being 
 
 in- 
 
[ 25 ] 
 
 influenced by his voluntary Engagements 
 in Baptifm, and frequent Recolledions of 
 them, to be in Reality what his holy Cha- 
 radler and Profeffion denote, viz. a Prac^ 
 tifer of univerfal Righteoufnefs, Meeknefs, 
 and Charity. 
 
 This is the orreat Influence and End of the 
 whole Gofpel, which, in all its feveral 
 Parts, claims the Charad:er of a Dodlrine 
 Recording to Godlinefs. 
 
 And as " Faith without Works is dead, fo 
 ** Baptifm without theAnfwerofa good 
 " Confcience" is affirmed by the Apoflle 
 Peter to be ''no more than the v/afhing away 
 «' of the Filth of the Flefh." i Pet. iii. 21, 
 
 Certainly whoever is baptized into the 
 "Name of Chrift, and the holy Profeffion 
 of his Gofpel, mufl: conform himfelf to 
 the exprefs Laws and Example of his a- 
 ^vowed Lord and Mafter, otherwife his 
 Baptifm is vain, and his Profeffion no bet- 
 ter 
 
[ 26 ] 
 
 ter than a folemn Trifle and odious Hy- 
 pocrify. 
 
 He who is baptized mufl put off, con- 
 cerning his former Converfation, the old 
 Man (in whatever Refped it has been faulty 
 or. wicked) and be renewed in the Spirit 
 of his Mind ; and his more immediate Cha- 
 racter and Duty is, to put on and continue 
 to fliine in the habitual Ornaments of the 
 new Man, which, after the Image of God, 
 is created in Righteoufnefs and true Holi- 
 
 ne 
 
 fs. 
 
 SECT. 
 
C 27 ] 
 
 SECT. VI. 
 
 Salifications demanded in Scripture of all 
 Perfons to whom Chrifiian Baptifm may be 
 lawfully, and ought injujlicey to be admi- 
 nifiered, 
 
 THE Qiialificatlons declared by Chrifl 
 and his Apoftles, as previoufly ne- 
 ceffary and fufficient for the due and pro- 
 fitable Performance of this Chrifiian Duty, 
 are Faith and Repentance j both which 
 (we believe on good Grounds) you hap- 
 pily experience on this Occafion,with clear 
 Evidence and Satisfacftion, 
 
 Our Lord's Commiffion to his Apoftles 
 was to teach the People of all Nations, 
 whom he fent them to baptize, concluding 
 
 with 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 with this folemnlnjundion," teaching thera 
 *' to obferve all Things whatfoever I have 
 " commanded you/* and enforcing his Pre- 
 cept with this Sentence of Encouragement, 
 and unfpeakable Terror to thofe refpedtively 
 who on good Principles fhould obey, or 
 from bad Motives reject, the divine Tefli- 
 inony and Miniftry of his Apoftles. 
 
 *' He who believeth and is baptized fhall 
 ** be favedj but he who believeth not fhall 
 " be damned, Matth. xxviii. 1 9, 20. Mark, 
 '' xvi. 16. 
 
 Wherein is plainly implied, that Chrifti- 
 ans muil be taught, in order to their Con- 
 viction, and convinced in order to their 
 Baptifm.j- Jtnd that the exprefs Mind and 
 Will of Chrifl himfelf is, that none fl:iould 
 be efteemed or treated as fit Subjects of his 
 Baptifm, who, at .die fame Time, were 
 incapaljk of Chriflian Iriftrudion. 
 
 ■^•*->«^^ More- 
 
t 29 ] 
 
 Moreover, from the Authority of thefet 
 Declarations, you are to be reminded above 
 all things, that the holy Faith you are a- 
 bout to profefs, by the folemn Rite of your 
 Chriftian Baptifm, muft not only enlighten 
 your Under flan ding, but warm your Af- 
 fedions, fo as to iniiuence your Temper 
 and practice of Holinefs, before it can 
 have any Efficacy towards commending 
 you to God, or to purify and fave your 
 Soul. 
 
 A fpeculatlve Faith, producing no prac- 
 tical Influence, is dead, nor can it entitle 
 you to the Character and Recompence of 
 a worthy Chriftian, but, as you cultivate 
 it, and fuffer this good Root to animate 
 and bring forth the proper Effects of Re- 
 pentance and Reformation in your heavenly 
 Temper,and god-like Condud:. Even thofe 
 heinous Sinners, who had imbrued their 
 Hands in the innocent Blood of Jefus, when 
 convinced, and pricked at their Hearts, and 
 crying out to Peter, and the reft of the 
 
 Apoftles, 
 
[ 30 ] 
 
 Apoftles, ** Men and Brethren what fhall 
 ** we do to be faved ?" were, on this their 
 earneft Requeft, exhorted to repent and be 
 baptized j '' then they, who gladly received 
 ** this Word of Exhortation, were baptized; 
 " and the fame Day were added unto them 
 " three thoufand fouls who were faved,** 
 viz. by their Faith, Baptifm, and Repen- 
 tance. Ads ii. from 37 to 42. 
 
 To the fame EfFe6l are the Words of 
 Ananias to ^aul^ whofe Mind had been 
 ftained with the barbarous Sin of Perfecu- 
 tion ', ** And now why tarriefi: thou ? arife 
 ** and be baptized, and wafh away thy Sins, 
 ** calling on the Name of the Lord." Ads 
 xxii. 16. 
 
 By thefe Expreflions this Meflenger of 
 God never delign'd, or can be rationally 
 underftood to mean, that the Adion of 
 putting aSWs Body under the Water would 
 be of itfelf fufficient to wafh away the 
 Guilt with which his Mind had been defiled, 
 
 and 
 
[ 3> ] 
 
 and was chargeable. But his former Sins, 
 how great or many foever, would yet be 
 all wafhed away in the Water of Baptifm, 
 fo far only as this Ordinance of Chrift be- 
 came an efFe(5tual Means of awakening his 
 Repentance, and was accompanied with 
 that hearty Reformation, to which is exprefly 
 annexed in holy Scripture, the Promife and 
 Hope of God's Pardon ; A Qualification ! 
 always neceflary and requifite to render 
 this Gofpel-inflitution, to every true Peni- 
 *' tent, the Baptifm of Repentance and Re- 
 *' miflion of his Sins in the Name, or by 
 ** the Authority of the Lord Jefus." 
 
 Finally, when theTreafurer of the Queen 
 of the Ethiopiajis^ being lirft convinced of 
 the Authority of Jefus Chrift, and the con- 
 fequent Obligation of all his Inftitutions, 
 had exprefted his Delire to receive Chri- 
 ftian Baptifm at the Hands of Philip, this 
 Minifter of Chrift defers his Requeft, as 
 what could not be fitly or lawfully granted 
 before he had a fadsfadtory Anfwer to this 
 important Demand ; *' If thou beheveft 
 
 with 
 
[ 32 ] 
 
 '^ with all thy Heart, thou mayeft ?"- Adis 
 viii. 37. 
 
 Now, the Heart of Man exprefleth the 
 Seat of his AfFedions j and, as the Pidture 
 or Shadow of a Man is not the Man him- 
 felf, nor a dead Corpfe the Perfon whofe 
 Body only it has been ; fo likewife your 
 hearty Belief that Jefus Chrift is the Son 
 of God, is not your bare AlTent to the Au- 
 thority of his Gofpel, or verbal Confeffion 
 of it only, but fuch a warm and ftrong 
 Convidlion of the Underftahding as fuit- 
 ably determines the Will, and thereby go- 
 verns a Man's Temper and Adtions, fhew- 
 ing forth itfelf, in all the Correfpondent 
 Fruits of true Piety and Virtue, fo as to 
 caufe you to fhine in the habitual and fub- 
 ftantial Ornaments of the chriftian Tem- 
 per, that are through "Jefus Chrift to thePraife 
 and Glory cf God. You are therefore re- 
 quired not only to believe and profefs, but 
 moreover to obey the Authority of the Son 
 of God, by ivalking in all the Ordinajices 
 
 and 
 
[ 33 i 
 
 cind Cofntnands of your Lord hlamdefs^ and 
 by maintaining ** a Converfation becoming 
 ** the Gofpel," before you can receive the 
 Bleflings and Benefits of this evangelical 
 Inftitution. 
 
 D 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 34 ] 
 
 SECT. VII. 
 
 Ihe Jujlif cation of the Minijler of Baptifm. 
 
 I 
 
 UPON the whole, being fatisfied that 
 upon Inquiry, and in your Con- 
 fcience, you verily believe that Jefus Chrifl 
 is the Son of God, and his Gofpei is con- 
 fequently the Will of your heavenly Fa- 
 ther revealed by him : That, in Reverence 
 to the Authority of his Inftitution, you 
 now offer yourfelf to be baptized, acknow- 
 ledging him for your Lord and Lawgiver 
 in Matters of Religion, refolved, with the 
 divine Concurrence, that is promifed, and 
 always given, to the Upright, to conform 
 your Temper and Life to the excellent Pre- 
 cepts and Pattern of Chrifl : That you truly 
 believe and rejoice in Hope of obtaining 
 the chriflian Promifes^ and now receive 
 
 the 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 the Baptlfm exprefly appointed *' for Re* 
 " pentance and Remillion of Sins," with 
 deep Humility, and Shame for your paft 
 Follies and Crimes ; and with your deUbe- 
 rate and chearful Purpofe, to watch and 
 pray that you enter not into Temptation -, 
 I am warranted, by the Dire(flion of God's 
 own Word, to efleem you a true Chriflian, 
 as this Day you folemnly declare yourfelf 
 to be, with Underftanding, Knowledge, 
 and Choice, and, by the holy Rite and 
 Vow of your chriftian Baptifm, which, at 
 your Requeil, I now chearfully proceed to 
 adminifler. 
 
 D 2 SECT, 
 
[ 36 ] 
 
 SECT. VIII. , 
 
 The Vow of the Perfon to be baptized, 
 
 '' 'Tp H E Word of Faith which we 
 *' -I preach is this," (fays the Apoftle 
 St. Paul) Rom. x. 9, 10, 11. 
 
 *' That, if thou fhalt confefs with thy 
 *' Mouth the Lord Jefus, and flialt believe 
 " in thy Heart that God has raifed him from 
 *' the dead, thou fhalt be faved. 
 
 ** For with the Heart Man belie veth 
 " unto Rightcoufnefs, and with the Mouth 
 " Confeflion is made unto Salvation," 
 
 For the Scripture faith, " Whofoever 
 'l^ believeth on him fhall not be afliamed.'! 
 
 N.N. 
 
C 37 ] 
 
 N. N. Standings or on his Kfiees^ aJifwers 
 in the Affirmative the folio'wi?jg hiterro- 
 gaiories, 
 
 Minifier, 
 Will you declare, in the Church and 
 Prefence of God, who cannot be deceived, 
 and will not be mocked. That you believe, 
 with all your Heart, that Jefus Chrifl is 
 the Son of God ? 
 
 iV. N, I believe with all my Heart that 
 Jefus Chrifl is the Son of God. 
 
 Minijler, 
 Is it your afFedionate Reverence for the 
 Authority and Inilitution of Jefus Chriil 
 that induces you, at this Time, to offer 
 yourfelf to be baptized into the Profeflion 
 of his holy Name and Religion ? 
 
 N. N. Yes. 
 
 D 3 Miiiijler, 
 
[ 38 ] 
 
 Minijler. 
 Are you refolved to renounce every 
 known and prefumptuous Sin ; to obey the 
 Precepts, and follow the Example of your 
 Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, and, in 
 humble Dependance on God, to adorn the 
 Profeffion of Chriftianity you this Day put 
 on, by maintaining, to the End of youir 
 Lif?, " a Converfation becoming the Gof- 
 *' pel ?" 
 
 N. N, Yes. 
 
 In confequence of this voluntary, public, 
 and folemn Profeffion of your chriftian 
 Faith, Penitence, and holy Refolutions, it 
 is become my Duty to put your Body under 
 Water, and to raife it again, in Token of 
 your declared '' Faith in the Burial and 
 ** Refurredtion of Jefus Chrift,and of your 
 ** Duty and Determination, as his profeiTed 
 " Difciple, to die unto Sin, and to walk 
 ** in Newnefs of Life,'* 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 39 ] 
 
 SECT. IX. 
 
 "Hymn before the Adminijlratign of Baptifm^ 
 colkoled from the Verfion of Pfahns by Dr. 
 Watts. 
 
 I. 
 
 THOU art my Portion, O my God, 
 Soon as I know thy Way, 
 My Heart makes Hafte t'obey thy Word, 
 And fuffers no Delay. 
 
 II. 
 
 My Heart was fafliioned by thy Hand, 
 
 My Service is thy Due ; 
 O may thy Servant underftand, 
 
 The Duty he mufl do. 
 
 D 4 If 
 
[ 40 ] 
 
 III. 
 
 If God to me his Statutes fhew, 
 And heavenly Truth impart,' 
 
 liis Work for ever I'll purfue, 
 His Law ihall Rule my Heart, 
 
 IV. 
 
 I chufe the Path of heavenly Truth;, 
 
 And glory in my Choice, 
 Not all the Riches of the Earth, 
 
 Could make me fo rejoice. 
 
 V. 
 
 The Teftimonies of thy Grace 
 
 I fet before my Eyes, 
 Thence I derive my daily Strength, • 
 
 And there my Comfort lies, 
 
 VI. 
 
 ^hou haft inclin'd this Heart of mine. 
 
 Thy Statutes to fulfil ; 
 And thus, till mortal Life fhall end. 
 
 Will I perform thy Will. 
 
 SECT. 
 
[ 41 ] 
 
 S E C T. X. 
 
 The Prayer before Bapttfm. 
 
 O Eternal, immortal, and inviiible Je- 
 hovah, whofe Majefly no Thought 
 can comprehend, and whofe Glory no Eye 
 can behold ; from everlafting to everlafting 
 thou art God, who hafl an unalienable 
 Right, and an abfolute Dominion over all 
 thy Creatures. 
 
 We praife thee, O God, we acknowledge 
 thee to be the Lord 3 of whom we and 
 all Things are, as our Creator; through 
 whom we and all Things continue, as our 
 Preferver 3 to whom all that we are is to 
 be afcribed ; and whatever we can do con- 
 formable to thy Will, and in Obedience to 
 thy holy Commands, is our reafonable 
 
 Duty, 
 
[ 42 ] 
 
 Duty, and will be oiir unfpeakable and ever- 
 lafting Gain. 
 
 The Service of thee, our God, is per- 
 fed Freedonj,._''y Precepts guard u- from 
 Deilruftion, and all thy Laws are no Itfs 
 the Means of our Pcrfedion, than the 
 Proof of our Obedience. 
 
 To thee, the gracious Father of the 
 Spirits of all Flefli, we return our moft 
 humble and hearty Thanks for the Dignity 
 and Excellence of our heaven-born Minds, 
 which were made in the Similitude of God, 
 but a little lower than the Angels, and are 
 4efigned for the Perfedlion of Intelligence, 
 and the Bleflednefs of Immortality. 
 
 Our Souls magnify the Lord, and our 
 Spirits rejoice in God our Saviour, by whofe 
 Wifdom, Power, and Goodrefs, we are 
 made capable of the large Improvements, 
 the virtuous Pleafures, and the. glorious 
 Profpedis of Religion, being fent into the 
 
 prefent 
 
[ 43 ] 
 
 prefent World as Probationers for Glory, 
 Honour, and Immortality, that " by doing 
 *' Juftice, by loving Mercy, and by walk- 
 ** ing' humbly before thee, our God," we 
 may keep our Confciences void of Of- 
 fence, and be trained up for '* the glorious 
 " Fellowfhip of Angels, and of the Spi- 
 " rits of juft Men made perfedl.'* 
 
 • With Hearts warm with Grati- 
 tude, we, thy reafonable Creatures, ac- 
 knowledge the indifpenfable Obligations 
 of Religion : " The Lord is our Judge, 
 *' the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord 
 " is our King, who has created Man 
 *' for his Glory, and formed us for him- 
 ** felf ; and that we ihould fhew forth his 
 <r Praife." 
 
 We magnify and adore thee, O thoa 
 greatefl and befl of Beings, who art pof- 
 feifed of all poffible Perfection j and defire, 
 with all due Veneration and Gratitude, to 
 confecrate ourfelves to the Service of God, 
 
 our 
 
[ 44 ] 
 
 our heavenly Father, who art able, and 
 ever diij. ofed to communicate the EjfFeds 
 of thy rich Goodnefs to us thy Creatures ; 
 and to aflift, and reward, all our pious and 
 faithful Endeavours, to live to the Honour of 
 thy great Name, by doing Good to our 
 Fellow-creatures, as we have Opportunity 
 and Ability j and by advancing continually 
 the Integrity, Improvement, and Happinefs, 
 of our precious and immortal Souls. 
 
 For all thy fatherly Regards to our fpiri- 
 tual and eternal Interefls, we mofl: fmcerely 
 praife thee, rejoicing in_ the various and 
 rich Piovifions of thy Grace, to influence 
 the Reformation, Purity, and Happinefs, 
 of ouf rational and immortal Spirits. 
 
 We adore,with Thankfgivings,thy Long- 
 SufFering, and tender Mercies, to the fu- 
 perflitious Jews, and idolatrous Gentiles, 
 who, when they had departed from thy 
 Ways, to their own evil Inventions, didfl 
 not th^n forfake thy degenerate Creatures, 
 
 but 
 
[45 ] 
 
 but waft pleafed to appoint a new Dlfpen- 
 fation of Wifdom and Grace, to recover 
 tbem *' from Darknefs to Light, and from 
 *' the Power of Satan unto God, that they 
 " might obtain Remiffion of Sins, and 
 *' Inheritance among them who are fandli- 
 [* fied through Faith in Jefus Chrift. 
 
 " Who, for us Men, and our Salvation, 
 " came down from Heaven that he might 
 ** bring Life and Immorality to Light ;" to 
 inftrudl us in his heavenly Doctrine ; to 
 affift us with his holy Inilitutions ; to com- 
 mand us by the Authority of his excellent 
 Precepts ; to engage our Imitation of his 
 moft beneficent and amiable Example, 
 and to animate our effeflual Purfuit of Glo- 
 ry, Honour, and Immortality, by the ex- 
 ceeding great and precious Promifes of his 
 Gofpel. 
 
 We rejoice in thy good Providence, and 
 triumph in thy Grace, O heavenly Father, 
 ** who hail called us to Glorv and Virtue," 
 
 by 
 
[ 46 ] 
 
 by the Knowledge and Profeffion of this 
 excellent and divine Gofpel, which fupplies 
 us with the beft Means of Religion 5 and 
 tenders to the Faith and Acceptance of all 
 its ProfeiTors, the nobleft Hope and AfTu- 
 rance of Salvation and eternal Life, upon 
 the reafonable and gracious Terms of the 
 chriftian Covenant, ratified by the precious 
 Blood, and well-atteiled Refarre6lion,of the 
 nioft beloved Son of God, our once crucified, 
 but now rifen and exalted Redeemer, who 
 lives and reigns at thy Right-hand, and is 
 able to fave for ever all thofe who come 
 unto God through him. 
 
 May the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 and the Love of God, that pafTeth all Un- 
 derflanding, effedually determine all thy 
 People here prefent, to attend duly to the a- 
 bundant Evidence we have of the Truth, and 
 Excellence, of this laft and befl Difpenfa- 
 tion of thy Will to Mankind ; that we may 
 believe it heartily, obey it lincerely, and 
 fhew forth the proper Fruits thereof, by a 
 
 truly 
 
[ 47 ] 
 
 truly chriftian Temper, and in the perfeve- 
 ring Courfe of our Lives. 
 
 May we all find the highefl: Improve- 
 ment and Satisfadliop, " by walking in. all 
 ** the Ordinances and Commands of our 
 *^ Lord blamelefsj" till, under the Pro- 
 te(5tion, and by the gracious Concurrence of 
 our heavenly Father, we fliall obtain the 
 " End of our Faith and patient'Continuance 
 *' in well-doing, even the Salvation of our 
 ** Souls." 
 
 Father of Mercies, who art nigh unto 
 all who call upon thee in Sincerity, and 
 whofe AlTiftance and Favour always attend 
 the Upright. 
 
 Accept, we befeech thee, the pious Dif- 
 polition with which thy Servant is now de- 
 voting himfelf to the ferious Profeffion of 
 Chriftianity, and Obfervance of its Laws 
 in the Way which thou, O God, haft pre- 
 fcribed by the Inflitution of Chrift, our 
 great Lord and Mailer j who with Reve- 
 rence 
 
[ 48 ] 
 
 rence and affedlionate Submiffion to his 
 Authority, is about to be baptized in Wa- 
 ter, in Token of his cordial '^ Faith in the 
 *' Burial and Refurredion of Jefus Chrift," 
 and to exprefs his Duty and Refolution (as 
 his Difciple) *' to die unto Sin, and to 
 " walk in Newnefs of Life." 
 
 O holy and omnifcient God, the Former 
 and Judge of our Hearts, who " haft 
 *' pleafure in Uprightnefs, and lovefl 
 *' Truth in the inward Farts 3" to thy mod 
 holy and unerring InfpecSlion, this thy Ser- 
 vant does now folemnly appeal for the Sin- 
 cerity of his Faith, Penitence, and pious 
 Refolution. May the Grace of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, and the Love of God the 
 Father, be with him, according to his pre- 
 fent Integrity, and future Stedfaftnefs in 
 that holy Profeffion of the chriflian Reli- 
 gion thy Servant this Day voluntarily takes 
 upon himfelf, by the Sanation and Vow of 
 his Baptifm : And fo profper, we befeech 
 thee, this his pious Undertaking, and his 
 
 ferious 
 
[ 49 ] 
 
 feflous Recolledions of it from Time to 
 Time, that, by its lafting Impreflions, it 
 may be happily effectual, through thy 
 Bleffing, and moft gracious Acceptance, 
 " to keep him in the Faith, grounded and 
 *-* fettled, and not moved away," by any 
 Allurement or Terrors of this evil World; 
 from the glorious " Hope of the Gofpelj" 
 but preferving himfelf " blamelefs and 
 *' harmlefs, as a Son of God, without Re- 
 *' buke, in the Midft of a crooked and 
 " perverfe Generation,'.' may his " Light 
 '' fo fhine forth in the World, that others, 
 *' feeing his good Works, may glorify our 
 " heavenly Father." 
 
 Henceforth may he perfift *' to walk 
 *' worthy of his Lord in all Things that 
 '* are well-pleafing in his Sight, being fruitr 
 " ful in every good Word and Work,'*, 
 adorning his chriftian Profeffion by " a 
 ** Behaviour becoming the Gofpel," and 
 by ferving God and his Generation with 
 Diligence and Probity ; may he be always 
 E ready 
 
[ so ] 
 
 ready to meet his Judge in Peace and with 
 Acceptance. 
 
 Having worthily '' confefTed Chrift be- 
 *' fore Men," may this thy Servant **be 
 *' acknowledged before his Father and holy 
 *' Angels," when, in the end of the World, 
 the Lord Jefus fhall return in Majefty and 
 Grace *' to reward his Saints, and to be 
 *^ admired of all who believe," Then may 
 he be for ever with the Lord '* behold and 
 ■' enjoy his Glory : whom not feeing we 
 *' love, and in whom, though now we fee 
 " him not, yet believing, may all here" 
 prefent '* rejoice with Joy unfpeakable, and 
 " full of Glory j" which we humbly afk 
 and hope to receive through Jefus Chrift 
 our Lord j for whom, and for all the rich 
 Privileges, and immenfe Hopes of his glo- 
 rious Gofpel, of his powerful and gracious 
 Mediation, we afcribe unto thee, O holy 
 Father, all Honour and Glory, Thankfgiving 
 and Praife, nov7 and evermore, Amen, 
 
 SECT. 
 
t 51 1 
 
 SECT. XI. 
 
 7he Adminiftration, 
 
 N. B. The Mimfler^ together nvith the 
 Perfoji to be baptized, being about to go 
 down into the Water, the following Re^ 
 colleBion may be fitly ujed, 
 
 Minifter, 
 Do you periift in your good and pious 
 Refolution of being buried in Water, in 
 Token of your firm Belief in the Burial 
 and Refurredion of Jefus Chrift ; and of 
 your Duty and full Purpofe of Heart, as 
 his Difciple, to die unto Sin, and to walk 
 in Newnefs of Life ? 
 
 N. N. Yes. 
 
 Minijier. 
 In the Name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghofl,I baptize thee. 
 E2 SECT. 
 
[ 52 ] 
 
 SECT. XII. 
 
 The ^[hankjgiving Hymn after Baptifm, col- 
 leBed^ with Alterations^ from the Verfion 
 cf the Pfalms by Dr. Watts. 
 
 I. 
 
 WHAT fliall I render to my God, 
 For all his Kindnefs fhewn, 
 My Feet fhall vifit thine Abode, 
 My Songs addrefs thy Throne. 
 
 II. 
 
 Among the Saints that fill thine Houfe, 
 
 My Off'rings Ihall be paid, 
 There fhall my Zeal perform the Vows, 
 
 My Soul rejoicing made. 
 
 III. 
 
 Blefs'd are the Men who keep thy Word, 
 
 And pradife thy Commands, 
 With their whole Heart they feek the Lord, 
 
 And ferve him with their Hands. 
 
 Great 
 
[ 53 ] 
 
 IV. 
 
 Great is their Peace who love thy Law, 
 
 How firm their Souls abide, 
 Nor can a bold Temptation draw 
 
 Their fleady Feet afide. 
 
 V. 
 
 Then (hall my Heart have inward Joy, 
 And keep my Face from Shame, 
 
 When all thy Statutes I obey. 
 And honour all thy Name. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Now I am thine, for ever thine, 
 
 Nor fhall my Purpofe move. 
 Thy Hands have loos'd the Bands of Sin> 
 
 And bound me with thy Love. 
 
 VII. 
 Here, in thy Courts, I leave my Vow, 
 . And thy rich Grace record, 
 Witnefs ye Saints, who hear me now. 
 If I forfake the Lord. 
 
 E -i SECT. 
 
<c 
 
 [ 54 3 
 
 SECT. XIII. 
 
 ^he Prayer after Baftifm. 
 
 IT is good for us to give Thanks unto 
 the Lord, and to ihew foith thy 
 ,*' Praifes, O thou moil High : whofo of- 
 ** fereth Praife, gloriiieth thee ^ and to hirn 
 " who orders his Converfation aright, our 
 l^ God will fhew his Salvation." 
 
 Accept, we befeech thee, our moft hum* 
 ble and hearty Thanks for all the Effects 
 and Manifeftations of thy fatherly Care, 
 and loving Kjndnefs unto us, and to all Men. 
 
 We blefs thee for our Creation, and Pre-^ 
 fervation, and for all the Comforts of this 
 Life, but, above all, for thy ineftimablc 
 Love in the Redemption of the World, 
 through our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift ; 
 for the befl Means of Religion, and the 
 noblcft Hope of GJory we derive from the 
 glad Tydings of his Qofpel, which " gives 
 
 ^' Knowledge 
 
[ 5S ] 
 
 " Knowledge of Salvation to his People, 
 
 ** by the Remiffion of tlisir Sins, through 
 
 ** the tender Mercies of our God, whereby 
 
 " the Day-fpring from on high has viiited 
 
 " us, to give Light to them who fit in Dark- 
 
 " nefs and in the Shadow of Death, to 
 
 *« guide our Feet into the Way of Peace.'* 
 
 We praife thee for that wonderful Incar- 
 nation whereby the *' Word was made 
 " Flefhjand converfed with Men; who be- 
 ** held his Glory, as the Glory of the only 
 *' begotten Son of God, full of Grace and 
 t[ Truth." 
 
 We praife thee, O Father, for his holy 
 and unblameable Life, " who did no Sin, 
 *' and in whom there was no Guile." And 
 for the Excellence and Encouragement of 
 his moft benevolent Example, ** who went 
 " about" continually *' doing Good" to 
 'Mens Souls and Bodies. 
 
 We thank thee, O God, for the pure 
 
 and heavenly Dodlrines Jefus preached ; and 
 
 for the numerous and beneficient Miracles 
 
 E 4 he 
 
 ■i» 
 
[ 56 ] 
 
 he publickly wrought in Confirmation of 
 the Authority of his divine Miflion; v^hich 
 mighty Works no Man could do, " had not 
 " the Father been with him." 
 
 For all thy Son Jefus Chrifb has done^ 
 and taught, and fuffered, in order to re- 
 concile our Souls unto God, and guide us 
 in the fure and befl: Way to Heaven,, we 
 moil finccrely praife thee ; rejoicing in the 
 bleiTcd Fruits of our Saviour's voluntary 
 Obedience unto Death 3 v/hichdemonflrates, 
 to ourjFaith and Satisfadion, the admirable 
 Integrity of his divine Charafter and Doc- 
 trine J and exhibits to all his Followers 
 the beft and mofl encouraging Pattern of 
 Refignation to the Will of our heavenly 
 Father, and of patient Suffering for Righte- 
 oufnefs Sake 5 and that, with his own mofl 
 innocent and precious Blood, he has fealed 
 the gracious Terms of the Chriftian Cove- 
 nant of Repentance and RcmilTion.pf Sins> 
 the Acceptance of our heavenly Father, and 
 of all the exceeding great and precious Pro- 
 mifes of his Gofpel. 
 
 We thank thee, O Father> Lord of Hea- 
 ven and Earth, *' who didjft not fuffer thy 
 
 1' holy 
 
C 57 ] 
 
 ** holy One to fee Corruption, but hafl 
 
 " raifed him from the Grave on the third 
 
 ** Day, according to the Scriptures, and 
 
 " fet him at thy own Right-hand, in hea- 
 
 *' venly Places, far above all Principalities 
 **and Powers, and Might and Dominion; 
 
 ** and hail put all Thii^gs under his Feet, 
 
 " and given him to be Head over all 
 
 ** Things unto his Church. 
 
 Glory be to thee, O God, for the Pro- 
 mife and Hope of Chrift's fecond Coming, 
 and for the abundant Means and Encou- 
 rageiTientwe have to prepare our Minds to 
 meet in Peace, and with Acceptance, *' the 
 " Man whom thou haft ordained to judge 
 *' the World in Righteoufnefs, whereof 
 " thou haft given Aflurance unto all Men, 
 " by raifing him from the Dead ;" That 
 all his faithful Difciples are fully aflured by 
 the Promife and Pattern of our once cru- 
 cified, but now rifen Redeemer, that he 
 will ''-raife the Bodies of his Saints at the 
 ** Laft-Day, and faftiion them like to his 
 /?- own glorified Body, by the mighty Power 
 
 *' whereby 
 
[ iS ] 
 
 *' whereby he is able to fubdue all Things 
 " unto himfelf. 
 
 ** Glory to God in the highefl:, that there 
 " is fuch Peace upon Earth, and good Will 
 *' to Men, manifefted in the V7ord, and 
 *' gladTydings of Salvation; which at firfl 
 *' began to be Ipoken by our Lord, and 
 ** was afterwards confirmed unto us by the 
 " Miniftry of his Apoftles j God alfo bear- 
 ** ing them witnefs, by Signs and Wonders, 
 " and with diverfe Gifts and Miracles of 
 " the holy Ghoft. 
 
 We celebrate thy Love, O heavenly Fa- 
 ther, who, for us Men, and our Salvation, 
 ** fpared not thy moil beloved Son, but 
 " freely delivered him up for us all." And 
 we own with Gratitude our unfpeakable 
 Obligations to the Grace of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, the great Saviour and Lover of Souls, 
 who, though '' he was rich, for our Sakes 
 *' became poor, that we, through his Po- 
 «* verty, might be rich :" Who, being in 
 the *' Form of God, took upon himfelf 
 " the Form of a Servant, and being found 
 
 ** in 
 
[ 59 ] 
 
 «' in fafhion as a Man, he hun-ibled him- 
 " felf, and became obedient unto Death, 
 ** even the Death of the Crofs i" that he 
 might be unto us the infallible Teacher, 
 and brightefl Example of Righteoufnefs ; 
 who died for our Sins, and rofe again for 
 the Jufliiication of our Hopes j who was 
 dead, but is alive j ?.nd " liveth at thy 
 ** Right-hand, being able to fave for ever 
 *' all thofe who come unto God through 
 " him, 
 
 ** Being rifen with Chrift," by Faith and 
 " Hope, may we his Difciples " fet our 
 •* AfFedions on Things above, and not on 
 '* Things on the Earth, having our Conver- 
 ** fation in Heaven, from whence we 
 *' look for the Saviour, who will change 
 ** our vile Bodies, and raife them glorious 
 " and incorruptible, that we may be ever 
 ** with our Lord, to behold and enjoy his 
 ** Glory. 
 
 o; 
 
 God forbid that any of us who partake 
 of the rich Grace of Chriilianity, fhould 
 ** receive it in vain, by turning it into Li- 
 
 " centioufnefs : 
 
[ 6o ] 
 
 ** centioufnefs : ^elng raifed to Heaven 
 by our chiiftian Privileges, may we all take 
 Heed left wq fink ourfelves into fo much 
 the deeper Condemnatioh, for Want of a 
 diie' and thankful Improvement of them. 
 As how we fee the Light that is come into 
 the World, may we not expofe ourfelves to 
 a forerPuniihment ^* by preferring Darknefs 
 ** rather than Light, becaufe our Deeds are. 
 ** evil :" But, through the Influence of our 
 moftholy Faith, and the powerful and gene- 
 rous Motives of our chriflian Obedience, may 
 all we, thy Servants, give effectual •" Dili- 
 " gence.in making our chriftian Calling 
 *_',and Elcdlion • fure, by adding to our 
 ** Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, 
 *' Patience, brotherly Kindnefs, and Cha- 
 ",.rity^j"; that " thefe Things" being " in 
 *^.' us, and abounding, we may not be bar- 
 ** ren, or unfruitful, in the Knowledge of 
 " our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, who 
 " gavehimfelf for us, that he might redeem 
 *' us from all Iniquity, and purify to him- 
 *' felf a peculiar People, zealous of good 
 " Wprks." ,^^\, , 
 
 ■ O God, 
 
[ 6r ] 
 
 O'God, the Author of Grace and Glo- 
 ry, and the Giver of Life and Happinefs to 
 thy Creatures, from whofe original Influ- 
 ence proceedeth every good and perfed: 
 Gift ; favourably regard, our humble and 
 fervent Interceflions in Behalf of thy Ser- 
 vant, who, by the folemn Vow of his 
 Eaptifm, has this Day voluntarily taken 
 upon himfelf the holy Profefiion of the 
 chriftian Religion. 
 
 Happy is the Alan whofe God is the 
 Lord, who is interefled in the favourable 
 Influence of thine adorable Perfedlions, and 
 the exeeeding great and precious Prom ifes of 
 thy Word s "for the Lord is good, his Mer- 
 *' cy is everlafling, and his Faithfulnefs en- 
 '' dureth unto all Generations." 
 
 Never may thy Servant repent of this 
 folemn Vow, by which he has now bound 
 himfelf to deny Ungodlinefs, and all thofe 
 worldly Lufl:s that would debafe and ruin 
 his precious Soul ; nor let him account any 
 of thy Commandments grievous, which 
 are conducive to his highefl: Improvement 
 
 and 
 
t 62 ] 
 
 and Happlnefs, and in keeping of which 
 he will find conftant Peace and Satisfadion, 
 with an exceeding great and eternal Reward. 
 
 We pray that his Mind maybe raifed high 
 above the fordid Views and criminal Purfuits 
 of this World, by his vigorous Faith and 
 joyful Hope of that which is infinitely bet- 
 ter. Henceforth may thy Servant walk as 
 « a Child of Light, not in Rioting and 
 « Drunkennefs, not in Chambering and 
 « Wantonnefs, not in Strife or Envy j 
 *' but, as he has put on the Lord Jefus 
 " Chrifl, may he perfifl to walk in him, 
 « in Truth and in Righteoufnefs, with In- 
 " tegrity and Uprightnefs of Heart, fo as 
 <f to be fincere, and without Offence, unto 
 ** the great Day of the Lord. 
 
 As a dear and dutiful Son of God, may 
 he imitate more and more the moral Per- 
 feaions and Example of his heavenly Fa- 
 ther, keeping in habitual Remembrance the 
 moft beneficient and amiable Pattern of the 
 Author and FiniQ.er of his Faith, to dn-ed 
 his Steps in every Station, and to every In- 
 
t 63 ] 
 
 ftance of his chriftlan Duty ; that his Faith 
 and Hope, his ardent Defire, and chearful 
 Preparation, may be henceforth fixed upon 
 thofe fure and immenfe Rewards of eternal 
 Life, which God " has laid up in Heaven 
 " for all the patient Continuers in well- 
 " doing :" through which may this thy 
 devoted Servant be difpofed and enabled ef- 
 fedually to defpife the Follies, to abhor the 
 Vices, and to combat and triumph over 
 all the Allurements and Terrors of the evil 
 World, " being ftedfaft, immoveable, and 
 ** always abounding in the good Work of 
 ** the Lord, knowing that his Labour fhall 
 ** not be in vain." 
 
 The Covenant of the Lord his God, into 
 which thy Servant has this Day voluntarily 
 entered, may he henceforth ftedfaftly and 
 religioufly perform, looking with AiTurance 
 for thy Favour and Acceptance, through 
 Jefus Chrift our Lord, and reaping all thofe 
 Improvements and Benefits which are fo 
 gracioufly annexed in the Promifes of the 
 Gofpel to the due Obfervance of the divine 
 Ordinances 5 that, through thy Blefiing, 
 
 they 
 
[ 64 3 
 
 they may conduce to his more perfed Meet- 
 nefs for the Happinefs of that future State, 
 " where every Imperfedion fl:iall be done 
 " away, when he Ihall behold thy Face, O 
 *' God, in Righteoufnefs, and be for ever 
 " fatisfied with thy Likenefs." 
 
 " Now, unto him who is able to keep us 
 " from faUing, and to prefent us faultlefs 
 *' before the Prefence of his Glory, with 
 *' exceeding Joy j to the only wife God, 
 ** our Saviour, be afcribed Salvation and 
 *' Honour, Dominion, and Praife, now 
 " and evermore." 
 
 " May our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf, 
 " and God, even the Father, who has given 
 ** us great Confolation, and good Hope, 
 *' through Grace, comfort your Hearts, 
 *V and eflablifli you in every good Word 
 *' and Work, working in you always that 
 *' which is well pleafing in his Sight, 
 *' through Jefus Chrift, our Lord, to whom 
 " be Dominion for ever." Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 

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