A30136:146
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 when men have juggled what they can, and made never such a prattle about religion; yet if their greatest excellency, as to the visibility of their Saintship, lieth in an outward conformity, to an outward circumstance in religion; their profession is not worth two mites. Let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting, and drunkenness; not in chambering and wantonness; not in strife and envy; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Rom. 13.13, 14. And it is observable, That after the Apostle had in the 9th and 10th verses of this chapter told us, that the moral precept is the rule of a good conversation; and exhorted us to make no provision for the flesh; he adds (these things provided) we may receive any that believe in Christ Jesus, unto communion with us; ⟨p. 90⟩how weak soever and dark in circumstantials; and chiefly designs the proof thereof, in the remaining part of his Epistle. For he that is of sound Faith, and of conversation honest in the world; no man, however he may fail in circumstances, may lightly reproach or vilify him. And indeed such persons are honour of Christian congregations. Indeed he is prejudiced, for want of light in those things about which he is dark; as of Baptism or the like; but seeing that is not the initiating ordinance, or the visible character of a Saint; yea seeing it maketh no breach in a good and holy life; nor entrencheth upon any mans right but his own; and seeing his Faith may be effectual without it, and his life approved by the worst of his enemies; why should his friends, while he keeps the Law, dishonour God by breaking of the same? Speak not evil one of another brethren: he that speaketh evil of his ⟨p. 91⟩brother, and judgeth his brother; speak evil of the Law and judgeth the Law: But if thou judge the Law thou art not a doer of the Law, but a judge. Jam. 4.11. He that is judged, must needs fail somewhere in the apprehension of him that judgeth him, else why is he judged, But he must not fail in substance, for then he is worthy to be judged. 1 Cor. 5.12. his failure is then in a circumstance, for which he ought not to be judged.