ii. 11, 12.
"And let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from
iniquity;" 2 Tim. ii. 19. And James tells us (speaking of the
Christian religion), that "pure religion, and undefiled before God,
is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and
to keep ourselves unspotted from the world;" James i. 27. From all
which (together with many more texts that might be produced) it
appears, that an unholy and profane life is inconsistent with
Christian religion and society; and that holiness is essential to
salvation and church-communion. So that these three things, faith,
baptism, and a holy life, as I said before, all churches must agree
and unite in, as those things which, when wanting, will destroy
their being. And let not any think, that when I say, believing the
Son of God died for the sins of men is essential to salvation and
church-communion, that I hereby would exclude all other articles of
the Christian creed as not necessary; as the belief of the
resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment, &c., which, for want
of time, I omit to speak particularly to, and the rather, because I
understand this great article of believing the Son of God died for
the sins of men is comprehensive of all others, and is that from
whence all other articles may easily be inferred.
And here I would not be mistaken, as though I held there was nothing
else for Christians to practise, when I say this is all that is
requisite to church-communion; for I very well know, that Christ
requires many other things of us, after we are members of his body,
which, if we knowingly or maliciously refuse, may be the cause, not
only of excommunication, but damnation.
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