Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	article_n	faith_n	fundamental_a	4,300	5	10.0783	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90062	The duty of such as would walke worthy of the Gospel: to endeavour union, not division nor toleration. Opened, in a sermon at Pauls, upon the Lords Day, Feb. 8. 1646. / By Matthevv Nevvcomen, preacher of the Gospel at Dedham in Essex.	Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.	1646 (1646)	Wing N909; Thomason E329_6; ESTC R200691	35,616	55

it was to bring his people to Vnity Not onely to faith and the knowledge of the Sonne of God but to unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Sonne of God Magnum argumentum suggerit Apistolus studiose servanda unitatis spiritus The Apostle here supplyes us with a weighty argument to perswade us to keep the unity of the spirit which so precious and of such esteem with Christ that for the sake of it among other things he hath instituted the Ministry and officers which he hath given unto his Church But this may suffice for the Explication and proof of the point I come now to Application Vse 1 This truth That it is the duty of all those that would walk worthy of the Gospel to endeavour a sweet close holy firm union and to be one in judgement and opinion one in heart and affection to speak the fame thing walk by the same rule then this may serve in the first place to justifie that solemn league and Covenant which we have all taken I am sure at least all should have taken and which you Right Honourable and beloved lately have renewed even in that branch of it and in those particulars which some doe most cavil against namely that last branch of the first article wherein we engage our selves to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest conjuction and Vniformity in Religion confession of faith form of Church government Directory for worship and Catechising that we and our posterities after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us As also the second Article wherein we swear in like manner without respect of persons to endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresy Schisme Prophanenesse c. That the Lord may be one and his name one in the three Kingdoms I would there were none that a few years ago would have thought they could never have blessed God enough for such a Covenant that now spurne and scorne it even in nay for these very clauses But I beseech you what is there in any of these particulars but what is a duty incumbent from God upon every one that would walk worthy of the Gospel as you have heard abundantly proved this day You have sworne to endeavour the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion what 's that but to endeavour to be of one heart and one soul Act. 4.32 to endeavour to be perfectly joyned together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same minde and in the same judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 you have sworne to endeavour the nearest conjunction in confession of faith what 's that but to endeavour all to speak the same thing 1 Cor. 1.10 and with one mouth to glorify God Rom. 13.5 you have sworne the same in reference to one form of Church-government directory for worship and Catechising what 's this but to endeavour to walke by the same rule Phil. 3.13 you have sworne to endeavour to extirpate Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresy Schisme Prophanenesse What 's this but to endeavour that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together 1 Cor. 1.10 All this is but your duty And the purpose and intent of all this is That the Lord may be one and his name one in the three Kingdomes And that we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us what is if this be not a sweet close holy firm union Q. If any shall demand how doth it appear that we should endeavour such an union of all the Churches in a Nation in three Nations we grant indeed that the Saints of a particular Congregation ought to have one heart and one way to be of one minde and of one judgement But how do you prove that such a thing is to be attempted and endeavoured in a Nation The Philippians Ephesians Corinthians upon whom the Apostle injoynes this unity were Churches of a particular Congregation A. I answer this is gratis dictum that the Churches of Ephesus Corinth Philippi consisted of no more then might ordinarily meet together for all duties of worship in one individuall Congregation I have often heard it said but never could yet hear or see it proved but I have seen good proof of the contrary However sure I am if union in a particular Congregation be good union in the Churches of two or three Nations is better for Bonum quo communius eo melius * Mulrum valet ad propitiandum Deum fraterra concordia Si duo ex vobis ait Dominus conveneritis in terrâ quicquid petieritis fiet vobis Si ●uobus hominibus quāto magis duobus popu●is Si●●ul nos Deo prosternamus participamini nobiscum unitatē participemur vobiscum dolorem c. August lib. 20. de Bapti cont Do natistas Suitable whereunto was that expression of M. Nye in his Exhortation to the Honourable House of Commons and Assembly of Ministers Septemb. 25. 1643. If saith he when but two or three agree or assent upon any thing on earth it shall be confirmed in Heaven and for this because they gather together in his Name much more when two or three Kingdoms shall meet and consent together in his Name and for his Name That God may be one and his Name one amongst them and his presence amidst them And sure I am the reasons upon which the Apostle urgeth this care of unity upon the Ephesians binde not only to a particular Congregation but to all upon whom the Name of Christ is called There is one body one Spirit one hope of calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all not only the Saints in a particular Congregation but of all the Saints upon earth And Christ gave Apostles Prophets c. for the worke of the Ministery for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ not till those of this or that Congregation come but till we all come in the unity of the faith c. And sure I am the prayer which our Lord Jesus Christ made Joh. 17. was not only for a particular Congregation but for all that should beleeve in him that they all might be one and that not by a spirituall and mysticall union only but by a visible union such an union as the world might take notice of ver 21. That they may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me ver 15. That they may be perfect in one that the world may know that thou hast sent me And sure I am the time will come when all that beleeve in Christ shall be visibly one when the Lord Jesus having destroyed the Antichrist and all his other enemies there shall be one sheep-fold and one sheephard Joh. 10.16 And therefore I thinke we ought to desire not only

stulti essent duo volentes videre solem c. saith Augustine What a folly were it in two men that did both desire to see the rising Sun if they should fall a quarrelling among themselves which part of the heavens the Sun would rise in and how it might be seen and in this controversie fall out falling out fight fighting put out one anothers eyes and so when the Sun risieth neither of them can see it I need make no application of this to us and our times But where is the fault you will say True it is there are divisions sad divisions danger-threatning divisions among us but where is the fault I know there are many that lay all the fault upon those whom they call Presbyterians and say it is their rigour and their pride and ambition their spirit of domination that is the cause of all these divisions thus say the Antinomians and thus the Separatists and thus the Anabaptists and thus the others say Now the Lord judge between us and them and let his people that hear judge this day Who are they that divide in judgement from all the Reformed Churches of Christ in the world that have opinions and judgements differing from the opinions and judgements of all the Reformed Churches we or the Anabaptists we or the Separatists we or the Possibly they will all say they are of the same opinion with the Reformed Churches in fundamentalls as well as we and their differences are but in Minutioribus Now supposing this to be true as it may be in some of them why then do they transgresse the Apostles rule why do they not if that it be in matters of lesser moment wherein they differ from us why do not they keep their opinions private and have their faith unto themselves before God why do they upon so small differences if the differences be so small withdraw from communion with us and the rest of the Churches and gather themselves into distinct and separate Churches some of them not holding one body with us others neither holding one body nor one baptisme with us Their agreeing with us and the Reformed Churches in Doctrines that are fundamentall their holding one head and one faith doth not excuse them from being guilty of breach of unity and down-right schisme Aug. contr Faust lib 20. cap. 3. item de fide operibus cap. 3. contra Crescon Gram. lib. 2. cap 7. as long as they hold not one body one baptisme Schisma saith Augustine est eadem opinantem eodem ritu utentem solo Congregationis delectari dissidio Schisme is when a man that professeth the same faith and worship is delighted only with the difference of an Assembly or Congregation And again Schismaticos facit non diversa fides sed communion is disrupta societas It is not a differing faith but breaking the fellowship of communion that makes men schismaticks And again Schisma est Recens Congregationis ex aliquâ sententiarum diversitate dissensio Schisme is a new or late dissension or disagreement of a Congregation arising from some diversity of opinion It is Beza's observation That the Corinthians did agree in the fundamentals of Religion and yet they had schismes among them from whence he takes occasion to say Beza annot in 1 Cor. 1.10 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est cum alij alijs hominibus sive externis ritibus it a sunt addicti ut quamvis alioquin in ipsis Religionis capitibus consentiant tamen animis sint ab alienati factiones quasdam ineant Schisme or division saith he is this when men are so addicted to some men or to some outward rites that though they do agree in the chief points of Religion yet they are estranged in their mindes and engage themselves into parties and factions Now who are they that though they professe to agree with us in Doctrine have yet made a secession with drawn themselves gathered Churches engaged parties Consider and give sentence Who are they that have most broken the band of love There is great fear what the Presbyterians will do if once they get power into their hands But in the mean time what do others Who are they that brand their brethren with the title Proud Time-serverves Prelaticall Tyrannicall Antichristian And what is this lesse then persecution Who are they that have been farthest from condescending descending to their brethren for peace and union sake were it fit I could say something of this yea much I could tell you much hath been yeelded and much more would be yeelded yea almost any thing but that one thing that would lay a foundation of perpetuall division and disunion in families Church Kingdom Who are they that professe an utter impossibility of reconciliaton or union and plead for nothing but Toleration Toleration and some for Toleration in the utmost latitude to Papists Jews Turks Vid. Praefotionem ad Acta Synodalia Vedet de Arcanis Ariaini the very artifice whereby the Arminians in Holland sought to gain a party and strength unto themselves Resolve these questions and they will resolve you who are most guilty of these divisions But as Augustine said sometimes of Originall sin so say I of these our divisions Non tam inquirendam c. It is time better spent to inquire how we may come out of them then who hath brought us into them It was a memorable speech of Calvin who said he would willingly travell over all the seas and Countries in the world to put an end to the differences that were in the Reformed Churches And I thinke there is never a gracious heart but would be willing to suffer banishment death yea could almost with Paul wish himself Anathema accursed so he might but put an end to these unhappy differences of our unhappy times Towards which give me leave to speak a few words to you in a third Use Vse 3 This truth That it is the duty of all those that would walke worthy of the Gospel to endeavour a sweet close holy lasting union serves in the the third place to exhort and excite every one to these endeavours and it is impossible to propound this exhortation in more persuasive and prevailing language then that of our Apostle Phil. 2.1 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort in love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercy full sill you my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde And O that I were able so to repeat these words that they might reach not only your ears but yours hearts and not only yours but the ears and hearts of all that have a seed of grace in them throughout this whole Kingdom It is said of John the Evanglist who was the Beloved Disciple and the Apostle of love that as in his life time he did often and much exhort to love saying