Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

§. 1. THE SUPPER of the Lord is not usually administered in the Churches of New-England, but unto such as appear somewhat Confirmed in the Dispositions and Resolutions of ⟨p. 81⟩Christianity. They consider, That the Churches of our Lord in all Ages, and the greatest Lights in the Churches both Ancient and Modern (except such as have admitted Infants to the Eucharist) have concurred in this Principle, That Baptism is of larger Extent, than the Supper of the Lord, and that many within the Visible Church may have the former for their Children, while they Themselves yet want some Actual Fitness for the latter. It appears that the Baptised of old were Confirmed, before they might partake of the Holy Supper; and none was a ΤΕΛΕΙΟΣ, or Person in full Communion among some of the Primitive Churches, until he had given some Evidence of his being Sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Indeed it might not be altogether as it should be, but so it was, if we be not much mistaken in our Church History; it was no rare thing that not All, it may be not Half, it may be not one Third of them who made a Profession of the Truth, and attended upon the Preaching of the Gospel (many of whom also underwent Martyrdom itself) were admitted as complete Members of the Church, into all Parts of its Communion; And there were sometimes but little Churches in Places that had many Christians in them.

§. 1. THE SUPPER of the Lord is not usually administred in the Churches of New-England, but unto such as appear somewhat Confirmed in the Dispositions and Resolutions of ⟨p. 81⟩Christianity. They consider, That the Churches of our Lord in all Ages, and the greatest Lights in the Churches both Ancient and Modern (except such as have admitted Infants to the Eucharist) have concurred in this Principle, That Baptism is of larger Extent, than the Supper of the Lord, and that many within the Visible Church may have the former for their Children, while they Themselves yet want some Actual Fitness for the latter. It appears that the Baptised of old were Confirmed, before they might partake of the Holy Supper; and none was a ΤΕΛΕΙΟΣ, or Person in full Communion among some of the Primitive Churches, until he had given some Evidence of his being Sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Indeed it might not be altogether as it should be, but so it was, if we be not much mistaken in our Church History; it was no rare thing that not All, it may be not Half, it may be not one Third of them who made a Profession of the Truth, and attended upon the Preaching of the Gospel (many of whom also underwent Martyrdom itself) were admitted as compleat Members of the Church, into all Parts of its Communion; And there were sometimes but little Churches in Places that had many Christians in them.