N02341:60
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…
Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in the churches of New-England. : With interspersed and instructive reflections on the discipline of the primitive churches. : [Seven lines from Ezekiel]
Boston: printed for S. Gerrish, 1726
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Upon a Convenient Pause, no Man objecting the Moderator turns himself to the Council, and proposes to Them, that if they do approve of the Brethren proceeding unto the Action that is now before them, and Consent hereupon to receive them and regard them as a CHURCH of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, their Silence will be taken to signify it.
Hereupon the Moderator in very solemn Terms, does call upon the Brethren, that with Hands (and Hearts!) lifted up to Heaven, they now attend and consent unto the COVENANT of GOD, which is now to be read before them. So He reads, [while They keep their Hands lifted up to Heaven: Or at least lift them up at his Direction at the End of the Reading:] The main ⟨p. 7⟩Articles in the Covenant of Grace, concluding with what more particularly concerns the Evangelical Church-State, unto the Duties whereof they now more particularly recognize their Obligations.
To this Effect.
We whose Names are hereunto subscribed, apprehending our selves called of GOD into the Church-State of the Gospel, do first of all confess our selves unworthy to be so highly favoured of the Lord, and admire that free and rich Grace of His which triumphs over so great Unworthiness; and then with an humble Reliance on the Aids of Grace therein promised for them, that, in a Sense of their Inability to do any Good thing, do humbly wait on him for all, we now thankfully lay hold on His Covenant; and would choose the Things that Please Him. We declare our serious Belief of the Christian Religion, as contained in the Sacred Scriptures, and with such a View thereof as the Confession of Faith in our Churches has exhibited; heartily resolving to conform our Lives unto the Rules of that Holy Religion as long as we live in the World. We give up our selves unto the Lord JEHOVAH, who is the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and avouch Him this Day to be our GOD, our Father, our Saviour, and our Leader, and receive Him as our Portion forever. We give up our selves unto the Blessed JESUS, who is the Lord JEHOVAH, and adhere