The Crowle Covenant (possible forgery?)
THE FIRST CHURCH COVENANT— 4 JANUARY, 1599 Wee, this Church of Christ (meeting at Epworth, Crowle and West Butterwick, in ye County of Lincoln) whose names are underwritten, give up ourselues to ye Lord, and one to another, according to ye will of God, and do promise and covenant in ye presence of Christ, to walke together in ye lawes and ordinances of baptized belieuers, according to ye rules of ye gospel, and through Jesus Christ, He helping us. |
[Champlin Burrage: The Church Covenant Idea. Its Origin and Its Development. Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1904. p. 56]