Catholic Terms of Communion for a Particular Church
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A76150.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
Catholic Terms of Communion FOR A PARTICULAR CHURCH: OR, The Sum of RELIGION: Being a Form of Sound Words, whereby the Baptismal Covenant may be renewed by Catechumens when they pass from Infant to Adult Church-membership.
I Believe that there is one only GOD The Father , Infinite in Being Wisdom Goodness and Power The Maker Preserver and Disposer of all Thing • ▪ and the most Just and Merciful Lord of All
I Believe that Man-kind being fallen by Sin from God and Happiness under the Wrath of God the Curse of his Law and the Power of the Devil God so Loved the World that he gave his only Son to be their Redeemer Who, being God , and One with the Father did take to him our Nature and became Man being conceived of the Holy Ghost in the Virgin Mary , and born of her, and named JESUS CHRIST And having lived on Earth without Sin and wrought many Miracles for a Witness of his Truth he gave up himself a Sacrifice for our Sins and a Ransom for us in suffering Death on the Cross And being Buried he Arose again the Third Day and afterward Ascended into Heaven where he is Lord of All in Glory with the Father And having ordained that all that truly Repent and Believe in him and Love him above all Things and sincerely Obey him and that to the Death , shall be saved Mat 25 and they that will not Mat 25 shall be damned Mat 25 and • ommanded his Ministers to preach the Gospel to the World He will come again and raise the Bodies of all Men from Death and will set all the World before him to be judged according to what they have done in the Body And he will adjudge the Righteous to Life Everlasting and the rest to Everlasting Punishment which shall be executed accordingly
I Believe that God the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and the Son was sent from the Father by the Son to Inspire and guide the Prophets and Apostles that they might fully reveal the Doctrine of Christ And by multitudes of evident Miracles, and wonderful Gifts to be the great Witness of Christ and of the Truth of his holy Word And to dwell and work in all that are drawn to Believe that, being first joined to Christ their Head and into one Church which is his Body and so pardoned and made the Sons of God they may be a peculiar People sanctified to Christ and may mortify the Flesh and overcome the World and the Devil and being zealous of good Works may serve God in Holiness and Righteousness and may live in the special Love and Communion of the Saints and in hope of Christ's Coming and of Everlasting Life
I do heartily Take this One GOD, for my Only God and my Chief Good And this JESUS CHRIST for my only Lord-Redeemer and Savior and this HOLY GHOST for my Sanctifier and the Doctrine by him revealed, and sealed by his Miracles, and now contained in the Holy Scriptures I do take for the Law of God and the Rule of my Faith and Life And Repenting unfeignedly of my Sins I do resolve through the Grace of God sincerely to obey him both in Holiness to God, and Righteousness to Men and in special Love to the Saint • , and Communion with them against all the Temptations of the Devil, the World, and my own Flesh and this to the Death
I Do consent to be a Member of the particular Church of Christ at—whereof—Teacher and Overseer and to submit to—Teaching and Ministerial Guidance and Oversight according to God's Word and to hold Communion with that Church in the Public Worshipping of God and to submit to the Brotherly Admonition of Fellow-Members that so we may be built up in Knowledge and Holiness▪ • and may the better maintain our Obediencc to Christ an • the Welfare of this Society and hereby may the more please and glorify God
More for renewing Covenant with God; see Deut 26. 17, 18 & 29. 11, 12, 13 & 30. 15, 19 Jos 24. 16, 21, 24, 25, 26 2 Kings 23. 2, 3 2 Chron 15. 10 to 15. & 23. 16 & 29. 10, 30 & 34. 31, 32 Dan 11. 28, 29, 30, 31 Ezra 10. 3, 5, 7, 8 Neh 9. 38 & 10. 28, 29 Isa 44. 3, 4, 5.
Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth: Go ye therefore and disciple all Nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all Things whatsoever I have commanded you: And lo, I am with you always even unto the End of the World. Amen.
Heb. 13. 17. Heb. 10▪ 24, 25. Rom. 15. 6. Obey them that have the Rule over you, and submit yourselves: For they watch for your Souls, as they that must give Account; that they may do it with Joy, and not with Grief; for that is unprofitable for you. And let us consider one another, to provoke unto Love and to Good Works: Not forsaking the Assembling of Ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: That ye may with One Mind and One Mouth glorify God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
A • ts 20. 28, 29, 30, 31. Take heed therefore unto Yourselves, and to All the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers; to feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with his own Blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the Flock. Also of your own selves shall Men rise speaking perverse Things to draw away Disciples after them▪ Therefore watch.
Isa. 44. 3, 4, 5. For I will pour Water on him that is thirsty, and Floods upon the dry Ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my Bl •• sing upon thine Off-spring: And they shall spring up as among the Grass, as Willows by the Water-Courses. One shall say [ I a •• the Lord's, ] and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob: And another shall subscribe with his Hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the Name of Israel.
( See Calvin and Musculus on this Text. )
ADVERTISEMENT.
READER,
THE foregoing Paper was first found by the present Editor, in M. S. in the Study of a Private Christian, fair • y written, with the Proofs. It since • ppears to be Part of the Worcester-shire Agreement, contained at large in Mr. Baxter's Christian Concord; to which all, especially Learned Readers, are refer'd for the Occasion, large Explanation, and Vindication of it. 'Twas designed by these Ministers to be the Foundation of a Regular Discipline in their Parishes in 1653; and is now printed for the sake of some that use it according to the Title it here bears. 'It is recited also in Mr. Baxter's Confession of Faith.
When Persons have been Baptiz'd in Infancy, and Instructed as Catechumens, and come at Age to offer themselves to full Communion with Particular Churches, 'tis highly expedient and useful that they should understandingly, seriously, fully, and resolvedly, in the Strength of God, take the Baptismal Engagement upon their own Persons: This is a Notion so written for by Great Men, witho • t Contrad 〈…〉 〈◊〉 it seems to be agr • ed by the Judicious under their different •• rms. Thi • Me •• od is recommended by the Right Reverend the Bishop of EXO • to the Clergy of his D 〈…〉 , •• d, in all Probability, is one of the Poin • s armed at by the KING in one Article o • • s late Letter to the present Convocation.
It seems not so proper to offer to any one a Confession, or Covenant, in Words of our present Invention, nor in Forms made by the Injudicious, le • t doubtful Notions, or doubtful Phrases o • 〈◊〉 should be proposed, to be immediatel • 〈…〉 nsented to, (as Terms of Communion) which seems shocking. If it seems too long to be rehears'd by the Catechumen, •• may by the Minister, requiring Consent to every Paragraph as he rehearses it. This • orm is perhaps as Judicious and Full, for such a Purpose, as any in former or later Ages. The Creed commonly called the Apostles, seems too short for Grown Persons: However, we express our great Reverence for it by using it in Baptising, and then enjoining Parents to teach it their Children.
When this Paper is put into the Hands of any Persons who desire to be in full Communion with a Particular Church, they are to receive these sacred Truths in the Love of them. Let them seriously, and in the Fear of God, weigh and debate these Truth, and compare them with the Proofs annexed, that they may be able to assent and consent hereto with a deliberate Understanding and firm Faith. And besure pay your Vows to the Most High, and pray for Mercy to be faithful: and have afterwards •• equent-Recourse hereto •• strengthen your Faith, and awaken your Repentance for your coming short: But remember, i • is the whole Word of God, revealed in the Blessed Bible, is the only perfect Rule of Faith; yet such 〈◊〉 are of U •• to draw the most plain and evident Things contained in Scripture into a narrow Compass, that they may be explicitly consented to.
No doubt this Paper may be of Use to others who •• not use it according to the Prime Intention of 〈◊〉 present Publication mentioned in the Title. If it may be any way of 〈…〉 will answer the Design 〈…〉