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A93733 The cause and cure of divisions: or, The way and means for all Chr[istians] (however they are distinguished [or] named) to come to unity Demonstrated and pointed out from the scriptures of truth; by Richard Stafford, a scribe instructed therein. Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703. 1699 (1699) Wing S5109; ESTC R230354 13,703 16

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The Cause and Cure of Divisions OR The way and means for all Christ●●●●… However they are Distinguished 〈◊〉 Named to come to Unity Demonstrated and Pointed out from the Scriptures of Truth By RICHARD STAFFORD a Scribe Instructed therein THE Necessity and Obligation of all that call themselves Christians unto Unity may be understood from what is Written Endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace But observe here how the Apostle enforces the Exhortation There is one Body and one Spirit even as ye are called in one Hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith ●●e Baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. There cannot be greater Arguments and Motives then these here mentioned why that all Christians should keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace because that the Apostle here saith There is one Body and one Spirit And like as one outward Sun doth enlighten ma●y Millions of Inhabitants of this Earth Even so one and the self same Spirit of God and of Christ doth actuate all the Children and Servants of God in all their several Generations and the Places of their Respective Habitations Even so it is meet and right and follows of necessary Consequence that they should be one in Love Heart and Affection for so much doth Unity signify and also where they live near one another they should do as the first Christians did that is to say Meet and be all with one accord in one Place and all they that believed were together and they continued daily with one accord in the Temple Acts 2.1 44 46. For the Worship of that Great and one God Hear O Israel and so hear this all ye that are in Deed and in Truth his Servants The Lord is one God Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all So that of the same right Consequence again If one God is in you all then also ye should be one as ye serve and worship and have Relation unto that one God who is in you all And so likewise it would be if as there is one faith so they did all keep and adhere only unto that one Rule of Faith and Worship and Manners which God hath given unto us all in the Holy Scriptures And if they had all the alike knowledge and more especially if they were Universally Obedient and Conformable unto it as the first Christians were For that Book of the Lord is but one Truth also and in all things consistent and agreeable with it self But in the Parable unto which the Kingdom of Heaven is likened by that Great Oracle of Truth the Lord Jesus Christ The Servants of the Housholder came and said unto him Sir Didst thou not sow good Seed in thy Field From whence then hath it tares He said unto them an Enemy hath done this Mat. 13.27 28. Even so the Good Man of the House for so he is called in Mat. 20.11 The Great Lord and Creatour and Governour of this Great House of the World He did first of all and from the beginning make and constitute one Church and that they should be one fold even under one Shepherd the Lord Jesus Christ And also he did Sowe Good Seed in that Field as to preserve and continue that Unity which he had begun and established among them as so it doth abundantly appear by that Law and Precepts he hath given us By this shall all Men know that ye are my Disciples if ye Love one another But from whence then ha●● it tares He saith unto them an Enemy hath done this So here it may be ●urmised and asked from whence came these Divisions and that Biting and Devouring one another amongst those who call themselves Members of the Christian Visible Church for the Divisions whereof all one as of Reuben who herein was unstable as water and tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine There was great thought and searchings of Heart Why An Enemy hath done all this even the Spirit which worketh in the Children of Disobedience They do disobey some part or other of the written word and thereupon arise Divisions and strife and every Evil work As the Apostle James asks the Question From whence come Wars and Fightings among you Come they not hence even of your Lusts that War in your Members Even so in like manner it may be asked from whence come that Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath and Strife all which are the works of the flesh and they exclude from the Kingdom of God Gal. 5.20 21. And Divisions which are now amongst those who call themselves of the outward visible Christian Church Come they not hence even of your Lusts which signifies an Inordinate Coveting or Sinful Transgression that are in their Souls Come they not hence even from the Spirit of Disobedience which works in the children thereof They do proceed from some kind of Disobedience or other Like Diotrephes who Loved the Preheminence or some sinful and indirect thing or other do lead them aside Or as the wise Man saith Lo this have I found that God made Man upright but he hath sought out many Inventions Even so he did make Man to Worship himself and in the beginning he did ordain and constitute this Worship to be in Spirit and in Truth For God is a Spirit and they that Worship him must Worship him in Spirit and in Truth And in order to this He hath given a Rule and Direction for his worship in his word which is very pure and true or truth it self But Alas Herein Man hath found out many Inventions In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds and their Post by my Posts Ezek. 43.8 He hath intermingled and added many things into the Worship of God which God never Commanded nor came they into his mind as himself saith by his Prophet Jeremiah As to which Jesus Christ the Son of God and consequently he best knows his mind and will who is also the High Priest of our Profession and much greater in the House or Church of God then Moses For this Man was therein as a Servant but Christ as a Son This same Jesus Christ saith In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men Mat. 15.9 And a little after he saith which relates also unto the same subject matter Every Plant which my heavenly father hath not Planted shall be Rooted up ver 13. So that both God and his Son Jesus Christ do express a reproof and dislike of these things What things That any thing should be offered up unto him in Worship or Sacrifice or as a Type of Worship Which he Commanded not nor entered into his mind and which he never required at their hands And that they should either teach for Doctrines or use for Worship the Commandments of Men as to which every Plant that my Heavenly Father hath not