A30136:205
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.
2. In the midst of your zeal for the Lord, remember that the visible Saint is his; and is privileged in all those spiritual things, that you have in the word, and live in the practise of, and that he is to partake thereof, according to his light therein. Quarrel not with him about things that are circumstantial; but receive him in the Lord as becometh Saints; if he will not have communion with you, the neglect is his, not yours. But saith the open profane; Why cannot we be reckoned Saints also? We have been Christened, we go to Church, we take the Communion. Poor People! This will not do; for so long as in Life and Conversation you appear to be open profane; we cannot unless we sin, receive you into our fellowship: ⟨p. 126⟩For by your ungodly lives you show that you know not Christ; and while you are such by the word, you are reputed but Beasts: Now then judge your selves, if it be not a strange community that consisteth of men and Beasts: Let Beasts be with the Beasts; you know your selves do so; you receive not your Horse nor your Hog to your Table; you put them in a room by themselves Besides I have showed you before, that for many reasons we cannot have communion with you.
2. In the midst of your zeal for the Lord, remember that the visible Saint is his; and is priviledged in all those spiritual things, that you have in the word, and live in the practise of, and that he is to partake thereof, according to his light therein. Quarrel not with him about things that are circumstantial; but receive him in the Lord as becometh Saints; if he will not have communion with you, the neglect is his, not yours. But saith the open prophane; Why cannot we be reckoned Saints also? We have been Christened, we go to Church, we take the Communion. Poor People! This will not do; for so long as in Life and Conversation you appear to be open prophane; we cannot unless we sin, receive you into our fellowship: ⟨p. 126⟩For by your ungodly lives you shew that you know not Christ; and while you are such by the word, you are reputed but Beasts: Now then judge your selves, if it be not a strange community that consisteth of men and Beasts: Let Beasts be with the Beasts; you know your selves do so; you receive not your Horse nor your Hog to your Table; you put them in a room by themselves Besides I have shewed you before, that for many reasons we cannot have communion with you.