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A57166 The staves of beauty & bands opened in a sermon preached at Yarmovth, August 23, 1663 / by Edward, Lord Bishop of Norwich. Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676. 1663 (1663) Wing R1290; ESTC R2972 35,887 91

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turbulent seditious and tumultuating Dispositions who love to kindle flames to foment Divisions to make Sides and Factions that they may fish in troubled waters these things being premised we may touching Accommodations thus conclude 1. There can be no Syncretism or accommodation where the Differences are in points destructive to the foundations of Religion and against the very Essentials of Faith Worship and Obedience there can be no reconciliation between Christ and Belial between damnable Heresies and the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness Hereticks are to be admonished and in case of Pertinacy to be rejected therefore there may be no brotherly Communion with them But seduced persons are in the spirit of meekness to be instructed and if possible to be restored and won unto the Truth and delivered from the snare of the Devil 2. Though the Differences at first view be not so pernitious and dangerous yet if it be evident that they be purposely sowed by men of turbulent and ungracious spirits meerly to kindle flames to foment Seditions to lay the of perpetual Divisions or Commotions in Church or State to gratifie the common enemy and to be subvervient unto such Ends and Designes as wherein Truth and Holiness is endangered in this case the Apostle hath taught us both by his Example not to give place by subjection for an hour unto such men and by his Doctrine to mark and to beware of them 3. Where a Syncretism and Agreement is allowable yet we must love Peace and Truth follow Peace and Holiness not adulterate or in any case betray or play the Hucksters with the Word as it is said of the Samaritanes that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods We must not temper or reduce divine Truth to the Rules or Dictates of our own Lusts nor captivate our Conscience to our carnal desires Jeroboam and Ahaz acted inordinately when they erected a Worship dissonant to Gods Will and subservient to their own for we can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth buy it we may sell it we must not for any other gain 4. Where the Fundamentals of Religion are safe and on all sides unanimously embraced and the differences purely problematical and such as do not at all endanger the Vitals and Essentials of Religion mutual meekness tenderness and forbearance are to be used as amongst brethren and fellow-members Disputes are to be managed with all calmness of Spirit without Passion Animosity Exasperation invidious Consequences or any thing tending to the violation of brotherly love hereby we preserve the Communion of Saints when we own one another as brethren and not as strangers We credit the Gospel of Peace and adorn our mutual profession of the same common Faith We make way to the more cleer Discovery of Truth when no Passion or Prejudice doth dazzle our eyes or overcloud our Judgement We stop the mouths prevent the Insultations and take away the advantages which the common adversary promiseth to himself by our differences and Dissentions The Means to be used unto such an Evangelical Accommodation are 1. Out of a sincere love of all truth to wait with humble docile and tractable hearts upon God in the use of such means as he hath appointed for the revealing of his mind unto us touching those things about which we differ and for that purpose with single hearts to study the Scriptures and to weigh every opinion in the ballance of the Sanctuary This the Apostle saith is profitable for Doctrine and for Reproof to this he referreth the Church against all danger of Wolves out of this our Lord revealed to his Disciples the things which concerned himself by this the Antients desired to have the Controversies in their times stated and decided And when any of them teach us to try Doctrines by Ecclesiastical Tradition and the witness of the Church they speak of Apostolical Churches which Tertullian calleth Matrices Originales and not barely of the peremptory decision of some one or other present or particular Church for they were able to draw down from the Apostles Traducem fidei as Tertullian calls it a Doctrinal Succession to assign the Time the Authors the Posteriority of those Heresies whch they gain-said as he saith Solemus Haereticis compendii causa de posterioritate praescribere Now because we cannot understand the things of God but by the Spirit of God for he it is who openeth the heart and draweth away the vail and giveth us an understanding and because the Scripture hath told us that Gods people shall be taught of him therefore we must in our studying thereof pray unto God with Job That which I see not teach thou me and with David Teach me good Judgement and knowledge and with the Apostle beg of God the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that in any thing wherein we are otherwise minded he will reveal even that unto us 2. To agree in the Fundamentals in the mystery of Godliness the Unity of the Faith the Principles of Doctrine the Rule by which we are all to walk in the saving knowledge of God and Christ unto which eternal Life is annexed and without which it cannot be had in the spiritual Worship of God calling upon him and coming unto him in and by Christ and in those primary grounds of Christian Obedience Repentance Sincerity Love of Christ Self-denial where there is an unfeigned and unanimous Agreement in these there is a ground laid for discovery of the Truth in matters of smaller Difference Agreement in Principles is a fair preparation unto agreement in all those Conclusions which are naturally deducible from those Principles and the more clearly we understand the Comprehension of Principles the more exactly we shall discern the genuine Connection of true conclusions and the inconsistency of those which are false and fallacious 3. In the things whereunto we have attained to walk by the same Rule to hold the Truth in love to keep faith and a good conscience for Christian Doctrine is a Mystery of Godliness and saving Knowledge a knowledge which is according unto Godliness and therefore the best way to find out that wherein we differ is to obey that wherein we agree The Lord having promised that they who do his Will shall know his Doctrine that he will teach the meek his way and reveal his secret to them that fear him that unto him who ordereth his Conversation aright he will shew the Salvation of God 4. To be spiritual and heavenly minded for as heavenly bodies so heavenly minds are the proper subjects of Serenity and Tranquillity Storms and Tempests are the Effects of earthly exhalations heavenly Orbs are steady and regular have no Combustions nor disagreements in them Schisms and Divisions are from the flesh and come from