H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.

37 The parts of vulgar or common discipline.

That common and popular discipline con∣sisteth chiefly in these matters: first, for the be∣ginning, when any is receiued into the church, he must learne to know God, and Christ, and to call vpon him, and to vnderstand what is his will. This is done by catechizing, wherein e∣uerie one is taught the summe of christian re∣ligion: and being taught, hee must professe his faith before the whole congregation, & pro∣mise obedience vnto Christ and to his church according to the doctrine of the gospel. Then, * 1.1 because not to go forward in the way of god is to goe backward: therefore they which are godly, that they may truely proceed, and goe on in godlinesse, must often frequent the holy assemblies at appointed times and places, and giue themselues to heare the word of God, & make prayers with others, and practise chari∣table deedes towards the poore bestowing their gifts and oblations liberally. But seing euen in our proceeding wee doe all fall, some more greeuously and with greater offence to

the church, some lesse greeuouslie, therefore the third part consisteth in the censure of our liues and actions: namely that euerie one bee subiect to the censure, * 1.2 all the time of his life, & yeeld vnto brotherly correction. And if any haue fallen into a greeuous fault, knowne vn∣to the congregation, and being reprehended, hath not truely repented, for which cause hee may deserue to bee driuen forth of the church for a time, and to be bound, vntill he make a∣mends, and till he make publike signification to the church of his true repentance: let such a brother be excluded out of the church, and be bound: but when he hath repented, let him be loosed, receiued into fauour, and admit∣ted into his former communion. This is the first discipline, the ende whereof is, that euerie one should liue vnto God, and at last also dye in the Lord Iesus.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 10.10 Mat. 28.20.
• * 1.2

  Mat. 18.15 1. Tim. 5.20