dam, and of Noah, thankfully Admiring
and Accepting the Free-Grace of GOD, that Offers to Save us from our
Miseries, by the Lord Jesus Christ, freely Resolve, with His Help,
to become the Servants of that Glorious LORD.
And that we may be Assisted in the Service of our Heavenly Master,
we now join together in a SOCIETY, wherein the following RULES are
to be observed.
I. It shall be our Endeavor, to Meet in the _Evening_ after the
_Sabbath_; and Pray together by Turns, one to Begin, and another to
Conclude the Meeting; And between the two _Prayers_, a _Psalm_ shall
be sung, and a _Sermon_ Repeated.
II. Our coming to the Meeting, shall never be without the _Leave_ of
such as have Power over us: And we will be Careful, that our Meeting
may Begin and Conclude between the Hours of _Seven_ and _Nine_; and
that we may not be _unseasonably Absent_ from the Families whereto
we pertain.
III. As we will, with the help of God, at all Times avoid all
_Wicked Company_, so we will Receive none into our Meeting, but
such as have sensibly _Reformed_ their lives from all manner of
Wickedness. And, therefore, None shall be Admitted, without the
Knowledge and Consent of the _Minister_ of God in this place; unto
whom we will also carry every Person, that seeks for _Admission_
among us; to be by Him Examined, Instructed and Exhorted.
IV. We will, as often as may be, Obtain some Wise and Good Man, of
the English in the Neighborhood, and especially the Officers of the
Church, to look in upon us, and by their Presence and Counsel, do
what they think fitting for us.
V. If any of our Number fall into the Sin of _Drunkenness_, or
_Swearing_, or _Cursing_, or _Lying_, or _Stealing_, or notorious
_Disobedience_ or _Unfaithfulness_ unto their Masters, we will
Admonish him of his Miscarriage, and Forbid his coming to the
Meeting, for at least _one Fortnight_; And except he then come with
great Signs and Hopes of his _Repentance_, we will utterly Exclude
him, with Blotting his _Name_ out of our list.
VI. If any of our Society Defile himself with _Fornication_, we will
give him our _Admonition_; and so, debar him from the Meeting, at
least half a Year: Nor shall he Return to it, ever any more, without
Exemplary Testimonies of his becoming a _New Creature_.
VII. We will, as we have Opport
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