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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	church_n	faith_n	unity_n	4,187	5	9.2413	5	true

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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

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

truth transgresse the laws of and rules of love If we cannot meet in every point of truth yet let us embrace in love If there be difference in judgement yet let there not be distance in affection Aretius Paul and Peter may differ Hierome and Augustine Moscopolus and Philelphus and yet be friends still love as brethren And surely had we walked according to these rules our divisions in England had not been so sad so fatall as they are this day Had all that professe the Gospell in England made conscience to be of the same minde and the same judgement with their brethren and the rest of the Churches of Christ as far as possibly and where they cannot where there is a necessity of differing had they made conscience to keep their differences from appearing in publike to have their private opinions and faith to themselves and not intangle the weak with their doubtfull disputations forbearing to judge or despise those that are not of their opinion loving them still as brethren not censuring them as profane antichristian fighters against God men that will fully shut their eyes against the light had these things I say been attended to on all hands our breaches had never been so great as now they are nor should the lovers of truth and peace have had so much cause to lament them But thus much of the first kinde of union that is required in those that would walke worthy of the Gospel unitas cordis The second kinde of union or unity required is unitas oris as the people of God should have but one soul so they should have but one lippe as one faith so one confession of faith one expression of themselves in matters of faith Therefore the holy Ghost calls upon us not only to thinke but to speak the same things 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing Not only thinke but speak So Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God The people of God should not only have one minde but one mouth It was a happy and peaceable age when the whole earth was but of one lip one Language the confusion of tongues at Babel brought in a world of other confusions It is a happy thing when all the people of God can content themselves with the same language and expressions in the things of God That same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that affectation of new and strange language hath ever been found prejudiciall to the Church of God Aug. de Civit. Dei lib 10 cap 23. Non parùm interest ad Christianam charitatem quibus verbis utamur saith Augustine Qui novas phrases terminos definitiones rerum excogitant c. They which coin new phrases Paraeus in 1 Cor 1.10 and new termes and new definitions of things for the most part are forging some new doctrines for they refuse to speak as others do that they may seeme to be wiser then others are Semper ex mutatâ temerè phrasi secuta est dogmatum mutatio Change of phrases hath alwayes ushered in change of doctrines Et videmus eos qui ad nullam formam loquendi se alligant mirifica portenta doctrinae gignere Ioach. Meist They that will not be bound to any forme of speaking at length bring forth strange monsters of opinions It is that which both Peter 2 Ep. 2.13 and Jude ver 16. make a peece of the character of false Teachers They speak great swelling words of vanity Calvin Instructio adversus Anabags And it is that Calvin observes of the Anabaptists and Libertines in his daies they spake such strange and uncouth high-flown language as could not be understood by others scarce if at all by themselves Now we should take heed of this and in the things of God content our selves with those phrases and expressions that are passant in the Church of God and not affect novelties The greatest heresies that ever troubled the Church of Christ have come out of the wombe of new phrases and expressions which made Melancthon wish Vtinans possimus eadem quae bona utilia sunt non tantùm ijsdem verbis sed ijsdem syllabis literis efferre Melanch in Chron. part 3. That we were able to utter those things that are good and profitable not only in the same words but in the same syllables and in the same letters I set my Amen to it O that we could be of one minde and one mouth all speak the same thing that 's the second particular of union we are to endeavour after A third particular of that union we are to endeavour after is unitas operis union in way and practice This the Lord hath promised as a blessing to his people Jerem. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for their good and the good of their children after them And Zeph. 3.9 That they may all call upon the Name of the Lord and serve him with one consent Teneamus illud c. ut idem apiamus credendo permaneamus in eadem regulâ disciplinae id est rectè vivendi scilicet ut nosno propter novam inventionem vel intelligen●iam suam deserat communem sensum sidei s●u regulam justè vevendi Anselm Now that which the Lord promiseth we may pray for and that which we pray for we must endeavour after one way Phil. 3.16 Neverthelesse whereto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same thing That is saith Anselme Let us all have a care of this that whereunto we have already attained we minde the same thing by beleeving and walke by the same rule of discipline that is right living that no man out of novelty or leaning to his own understanding desert the common faith or rule of right living Thus much the text clearly tells us that those who cannot be of the same minde in all things should yet walke by the same rule so far as they have attained unto agreement unity in practice is to be endeavoured as well as unity in judgement And thus now you have the explication of the point what that union or unity is which it is the duty of all those that would walke worthy of the Gospel are to endeavour after I might bring abundance of reason for the further confirmation of this point but I will bring no other then what the Spirit of God useth to inforce this doctrine by and I will but point at them neither Look in Ephesians 4th the Apostle there in the three first verses exhorts unto this unity as you have heard already Now marke how many testimonies the Apostle there heaps up to strengthen this exhortation by Inter membra naturalis corporis nulla est discordia nulla invidiae sed mutua sypathia auxilium mutuam Crag

that all the Churches in the three Kingdoms but that all the Churches in the world may be one in Doctrine Discipline Worship and Government according to the word of God and to endeavour it as much as in us lies Vse 2 In the second place 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 among themselves calls us to bewail the great want of that unity that should be amongst Gods people and such as professe to desire to walke worthy of the Gospel and not only want of unity but want of care and endeavour after that unity which is too too discernable in these times wherein we live We live beloved in very sad times sometime I am even ready to call them in respect of the breaches and divisions that are amongst us the saddest times that ever the Church was under But I correct my selfe when I remember how the Church of God in all ages hath been exercised more or lesse in this kinde with breaches and divisions In the first which were the purest and therefore we may conceive were the peaceablest times of the Church in that famous Church of Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians Acts 11.26 where they had the presence and labours of many Prophets and Teachers as Barnabas and Simeon and Lucius and Manaen and Paul Acts 13.1 2. yet even there there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no small dissension and disputation that within 4 or 5 yeers after the Gospel first came among them Act. 15.1 2. So in the Church of Corinth within almost as few years after its plantation there were both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schismes and Heresies 1 Cor. 11.18 19. In the Church of Rome there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sects or divisions and offences Rom. 16.18 yea and these dissensions divisions offences were not only inter plebem among the ordinary sort of Christians but among those that were the pillars of the Church the very Apostles themselves So Paul and Barnabas Acts 13. in the second verse they had no small dissension with the false teachers in the 39. verse of that chapter Medicu● medico verbo acerbitatem virulentiam dissidij experimere voluit Brent ad loc ye read there was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very sharpe and bitter contention between themselves So Paul and Peter there was a publike contest between them Paul withstood him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his face and before them all Gal. 2.11 14. So in after-times the difference between Polycrates the disciple of John and Victor Bishop of Rome though it were in re nihili being but about Easter day yet how they did divide and distract the Christian world and engage yea even enrage the Easterne and Westerne Churches one against another adeò ut sese mutuò excommunicarint anathematizarint that they did excommunicate and curse one another I might mention the difference that fell out in after ages between Cyprian and Cornelius Basill and Domacus Chrysostom and Epiphanius Cyril and Theodoret Hierom and Augustine Prosper and Cassianus Luther and Zwinglius Luther and Calvin But I mention these things only that you may see that the differences that are among our selves among the godly among Ministers are no new thing under the Sunne sic fuit ab initio it was so in the ages that were before us and therefore there is no reason that any of us should be scandalized or offended at them yet reason there is that we should all bewail and lament them What sober gracious heart would not bleed to see how small a matter some men make of dissenting from all the Churches of Christ and embracing opinions not so much new and strange as Heteradox witnessed against and condemned by all the Churches To see how many under pretence of pursuing truth and liberty have clean forgot that there is any such thing to be regarded as unity Every thing that to them is new is in their apprehension truth and every thing which they thinke truth they presume they have a liberty to hold and to hold it forth without any regard to unity Men are not able when once they have drunke in an opinion to keep it to themselves according to the rule of the Apostie it must forth Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter To see how men multiply opinions and rowl and run from one errour to another waxing worse and worse deceiving and being deceived till at length they come to down-right blasphemy renouncing all Ordinances Scriptures yea we should tremble to thinke of it some are fallen so far as to renounce Christ and God himself and which is worst of all if some mens doctrines be true all this must and ought to be tolerated and it is now in some mens judgements more lawfull and safe for men to erre and blaspheme then either for Ministers to reprove or for Magistrates to represse these errours But these things I had rather mourn over then speak of them It is not words but tears and prayers it any thing under heaven that must heal these sad evils To provoke you and my self to contribute something of this kinde to this purpose let me propound but two particulars to consideration First Consider the detriment and prejudice that Religion suffers by the divisions that are amongst us Secondly Consider the prejudice and detriment that we our selves may suffer by it First The Divisions and Dissensions that are amongst those that professe the Gospel brings a great deal of scandall upon Religion it self and upon the Gospel which we professe I dare confidently speak it there is scarce any one thing that hath been more prejudiciall to the Gospel from its first going forth into the world then the divisions and differences which have fallen among the professors of it Clemens Alexandrinus who lived about the year of Christ 200. and in whose time there were more then 20 Haeresiarchae arch hereticks or Masters of opinions in the Church who had every one of them their peculiar disciples catus Ecclesiasticos and peculiar Church-meetings among whom ●latius de Sectis dissensionibus c Relig. Papisticae c. Clem. Alex. lib. 7º Strom. doctissimi excellentissimi viri reperiebantur were some most excellent and learned men he tells us that the Jews and Heathens in his time were wont to upbraid the Christians with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. You O Christians cannot agree among your selves but have so many and so differing sects among you who though they all challenge to themselves the title of Christian yet they do all extremely detest and curse and condemne one another wherefore your Religion fay they can neither be true nor come from God Chanes is fuit Chiauses Mamaluchus cui ●nteà Eust achio nomen fucrat qui non

procal an Alba Iulia in Oppidos Tordo multes annos Ludimagistrum profess●● pueros in iriviae docuerat Philp. Camer in Oper. Succes cap. 39. otherwise undoubtedly it would be one certain and agreeing with it self See what desperate arguments against our Religion our divisions furnish our adversaries with Philippus Camerarus tells a story of one who had sometimes been a Christian and a School-master but afterwards turned Turke and was sent Embassadour to Stephen King of Poland Is liberè dicere solitus fuit c. who was wont to professe freely and openly That he was moved to renounce Christ by the notorious jarrings and enmities and discord of Christians differing in Religion and shewed a writing Valdè atrox amarulentum a sharpe and bitter writing composed by a certain Polonian the scope whereof was to prove that Mahomet was better then Luther Et hos inquit libros vestrarum discerdiarum heresium testes in Thraciam nunc asperto Musulmânis meis fidei vestrae unitatem certissimis rerum argumentis ostensuirat These Books saith he the witnesse of your discords and heresies will I now carry into Thrace with me and will shew to those of my Religion the vanity of your faith by most certain and reall arguments Such as are the Compassionate Sainaritan and the whole brood of him who calls himself Young Martin God grant that none of the scurrile Pamphlets of these times fall into such hands It hath been one of the greatest objections of the Papists against the Reformed Churches That the dissensions among themselves are evident signes of an hereticall spirit so Bellarmine Stapleton Becane c. Fitz-Sinnonde an Irish Jesuit hath writ a justum volumen about the differences of the Divines of Britain among themselves which he intitles Britanomachia It is true Quis tulerit gracchos c and Cl●dius accusat Maechos c. We could recriminate with ease and turne them to Flarius his Tractate De Sectis dissensionibus contradictionibus consusionibus Doctrinae Religionis Scriptorum Doctorum Pontisiciorum Or we could remit them to Pappus who hath enumerated 237 differences they have among them Or tell them of a Divine of Britaine that to requite the Jesuits Britanomachia hath reckoned up 300 differences among them at Rome and this might stop their mouths but can never justifie nor excuse our divisions If there be confusion and division in Babel must it be so in Bethel too God grant our divisions do not give advantage to some of that crue to write a second book De Britannomachia against us But if Religion should not suffer by our divisions abroad yet it suffers enough among our selves here at home For certainly there is nothing doth more expose Religion and the intended Covenanted Reformation to obloquie and scorne nothing that doth more confirme and harden people in their idolatry superstition malignity profanenesse atheisme then the wofull divisions that are among the godly party the party that all this while have cried up and called for Reformation Cum enim sine intermissione sic altercantes vident c. for when men see the endlesse contentions of those who all professe themselves to be for truth and for the glory of God that these cannot agree one saith This is truth another saith That is truth one saith This is the way of Christ another saith No it is the way of Antichrist Men of profane and carnall mindes take occasion from hence to call in question not only the things that are thus questioned but all other points of Religion and thinke that all that which we call Religion and divine truth is but a fancy and opinion One man thinks thus another thus but there is nothing certain This makes men of carnall and profane spirits thinke Religion not only a fancy but a frenzie If the Church saith the Apostle be come together into one place 1 Cor. 14.23 and all speak with tongues and there come in the unlearned and unbeleevers will they not say you are mad What will they say then when in the Church they shall hear severall and contrariant doctrines what a door doth this open to Epicurisme and Atheisme what fatall and destroying stumbling blocks doth this lay before the face of sinners and how many poor souls may hereby be turned aside for ever from seeking after God his wayes and truth the Lord only knows But O that this consideration might helpe us to bewail these differences and might be a means to heal them I have read of Basil and Eusebius between whom there was a great contest that when they heard how the Arians the common enemies of Christ and of his truth and Church began to make use of their difference to prejudice of the truth they presently laid their controversie asleep and both joyned against the common adversary We cannot be ignorant what advantage Papists and malignants make of our differences that it is a principall weapon whereby they fight against the cause and worke of Reformation a principall engine whereby they have drawn in and engaged many of the judicious multitude against us And shall we yet uphold and continue our differences shall we yet put weapons into our enemies hands wherewith to fight not only against us but against the Gospel and truth of Jesus Christ Secondly Consider how prejudiciall these differences must needs be to the godly party amongst us I mean the whole body of those that have adhered to the cause of God and of Religion managed by the Parliament for I can by no means permit that title of godly party to be impropriated ingrost monopolized as some would have it There are two things that in mine eye seem to threaten the godly party in this Kingdom the one is the rage the bloudy rage of the Antichristian faction against them the other is their emulations and contentions one against another and to me the later ever was a great deal more dreadfull then the former The rage of the enemies against them is extrinsecall and accidentall but their divisions are intrinsecall and intestine and men die more frequently from intrinsecall causes from diseases bred within then from such things as are extrinsecall and adventitious to them more Kingdoms and Common-wealths have been ruined by civil and intestine warres then by invasions and conquests And if God should be so good to us as not to suffer our rents to be our ruines yet I fear it may at least deprive us of seeing that which we professe we would all be so glad to see the peace of Zion the good of Hierusalem the Reformation of the Church Quam stulti essent duo volentes videre solem oriturum si contenderent inter se qua parte ori urus esset quomodo videri posset mota inter se controversim litigarint litigando se cederint caedendo oculos juos exringuerent ut illum ortum videre non possent Aug lib. cont Adium the Lord Jesus upon his throne Quam