A30136:143
A confession of my faith and a reason of my practice
A confession of my faith and a reason of my practice, or, With who, and who not, I can hold church-fellowship, or the communion of saints
London: printed for Francis Smith, 1672
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.
Therefore I say; the rule by which we receive Church-members; it is the word of the Faith of Christ, and of the moral precept Evangelized, as I said before, I am under the Law to Christ, saith Paul. So when he forbideth us, communion with men, they be such as are destitute of the Faith of Christ, and live in the transgression ⟨p. 83⟩of a moral precept: I have written unto you, saith he, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. He saith not, if any man be not Baptized, have not hands laid on him, or join with the unbaptized: these are fictions, scriptureless notions. For this, Thou shalt not commit Adultery; Thou shalt not Kill; Thou shalt not Steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness; Thou shalt not Covet. And if there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self. Love thinketh no ill to his Neighbour; therefore Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Rom. 13.9, 10.
Therefore I say; the rule by which we receive Church-members; it is the word of the Faith of Christ, and of the moral precept Evangelized, as I said before, I am under the Law to Christ, saith Paul. So when he forbideth us, communion with men, they be such as are destitute of the Faith of Christ, and live in the transgression ⟨p. 83⟩of a moral precept: I haue written unto you, saith he, not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with such an one no not to eat. He saith not, if any man be not Baptized, have not hands laid on him, or joyne with the unbaptized: these are fictions, scriptureless notions. For this, Thou shalt not commit Adultery; Thou shalt not Kill; Thou shalt not Steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness; Thou shalt not Covet. And if there be any other Commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self. Love thinketh no ill to his Neighbour; therefore Love is the fullfilling of the Law. Rom. 13.9, 10.