A30136:145
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.
And they that are Christs, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Hearken how delightfully Paul handleth the point? The new creatures, are the Israel of God. The new creature hath a rule by himself to walk by; And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Paul to the Philippians commandeth as much; where treating of his own practice in the doctrine of ⟨p. 87⟩Faith and Holiness; requireth them to walk by the same rule, to mind the same thing. I desire to be found in Christ; saith he, I reach forward toward the things that are before; my conversation is in heaven, and flatly opposite to them, whose God is their belly, who glory in their shame; and who mind earthly things. Brethren, saith he, be ye followers together with me, and mark them that walk so; Mark them; For what? For persons that are to be received into fellowship and the choicest communion of Saints. And indeed this is the safest way to judge of the meetness of persons by. For take away the confession of Faith and holiness; and what can distinguish a Christian from a Turk? He that indeed receiveth faith, and that squareth his life by the royal, perfect, moral precept; and that walketh there, in the joy and peace of the holy Ghost; no man can reject him; he cannot be a man if he object against ⟨p. 78⟩against him; not a man in Christ; not a man in understanding. The Law is not made for a righteous man; neither to debar him the communion of Saints if he desire it, nor to cast him out if he were in. But for the Lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane: For murderers of fathers and for murderers of mothers; for manslayers, for whoremongers: for them that defile themselves with mankind; for manstealers, for perjured persons; and if there be any other thing contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious Gospel which is committed to my trust. 1 Tim, 1.9, 10, 11. Paul also, wen he would leave an everlasting conviction upon the Ephesians concerning his Faith and Holiness; treating first of the sufficiency of Christs blood, and the grace of God to save us; he adds, I have coveted no mans Silver, or Gold, or Apparel, he bringeth them to the moral precept, ⟨p. 79⟩•o prove the sincerity of his good conversation by.