Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .B352 1835 v1

CONFIRMED CHRISTIAN. 557 an executive power, which must all be sanctified to God, so the creed was the particular rule for the 'credenda,' or things to be believed, and the Lord's prayer- for the ' petenda,' or things to be willed, loved, and desired, and the ten commandments for the agenda,' or things to be done ; so that to consent to these rules particularly, and to all the holy scriptures implicitlÿ and generally, was-the thing then required to catholic communion. The belief of the doctrine being necessary for the sanctifying of the heart and life, the belief of so much is of necessity, without which the heart cannot be sanctified, or devoted in covenant to God, our Creator, Redeetner, and Regenerator; and without which we cannot love God (as reconciled to us in Christ) above all, and our neighbors as ourselves. So-that, in a word, he that can tell what the bap- tismal tow or covenant is, can tell what is necessary to that catho- lic church communion, which belongeth to Christians as Christians, at how great a distance soever they dwell from one another. And then for particular church communion, which is local and personal;-it is moreover necessary, 1. That each member acknowl- edge and submit to the same pastors. 2. That they be guid- ed by them in the convenient circumstances and adjuncts of wor- ship. For, ifsome persons will not consent or submit to the same pastors that the body of the church consenteth aqd submitteth to, they cannot have communion particularly and locally with that church, nor are they members of it, no more than they can lid, members of the same kingdom that have not the same king. And there being no solemn worship performed but by the ministry of those pastors, they cannot join in the worship that join not with the minister. And if some members will not consent and submit to the necessary determination of the adjuncts or external modes of worship; they cannot join in local, particular church communion where that worship is performed. As if the pastor and the body of the church will meet in such a place, at such a day and hour, and some members will not meet withthem at that place, and day, and hour, they cannot possibly, then, have their local, personal communion. Or, if the pastor will use such a translation of the Scriptures, or such a version of the Psalms, or such a method in preaching and prayer, or such notes or books, andother like helps ; ifany members will not submit nor hold communion with the rest, unless that translation or version, or method of preaching, or praying, or notes, or books, be laid aside, he cannot have communion while he refuseth it. If the pastor and all the rest will not yield to him, he must joinwith some other church that he can agree with. Andas long as the catholié church communion is maintained, (which consisteth in unity of the Christian covenant, or of Christianity, or of faith, love, and obedience,) the difference of modes and cit-

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