Selected quad for the lemma: enemy_n
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A57166
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The staves of beauty & bands opened in a sermon preached at Yarmovth, August 23, 1663 / by Edward, Lord Bishop of Norwich.
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Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing R1290; ESTC R2972
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35,887
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91
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Prince of Peace who as he is not divided in himself so neither should he be divided in his Members Our Consolation in him should make us be of one accord and of one mind the Primitive Church a mirrour of Vnity and Peace the multitude of believers were of one heart and of one soul primum in unoquoque genere est Regula caeterorum 8. Ab Evangelio from the nature of the Gospel which is called by the Apostle a Gospel of Peace whereby we are called unto peace by the power whereof the rage of Lyons and Bears is calmed and subdued much more should the Sheep of Christ be preserved from biting and devouring one another it is a presage of rain and storms when Sheep run heads together and certainly it bodeth no good unto the Church when the Sheep of Christ are at discord one with another Lastly A Sacramentis which are sigilla vincula pacis from the Sacraments which are the Seals and Bands of Christian Peace In Baptism we were baptized into one body in the Lords Supper we being many are one Bread and one body for we are partakers of that one Bread as the Wine is made of many grapes pressed into one Liquor and the Bread of many grains moulded into one Lump so the Church of many believers compacted together by one Spirit of Faith and Love into one mystical body I shall conclude this Exhortation with two or three solemn and emphatical passages of the Apostle pressing Christians unto this duty Let us saith he follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another And again I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speake the same thing that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same Judgement And again Be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you And again if there be therefore any Consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any Bowels and Mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same Love being of one accord of one mind Unto which I shall subjoyn the same Apostles pathetical prayer The Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means and the God of Patience and Consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that you may with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Before I leave this seasonable and necessary Argument let us in a few words consider what is to be done in Differences of Judgement and Divisions of mind to heal the breaches and to recover the Peace of a disjointed and dilacerated Church And here it cannot be denyed but that in all ages of the Church there have been and still are like to be Varieties of Judgement among the Members thereof For 1. The best Proficients know but in part and Prophesie but in part 2. There are many things very abstruse and difficult in the disquisition of divine Truth Religion hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things hard to be understood as well as other Sciences 3. There is in many men much weakness of Judgement to make search and enquiry into these things or to discover veritatem in puteo latentem 4. There is much carelesness of heart in many men to try the spirits and to prove all things they sleep while the enemy soweth Tares 5. There is in many men a Levity Lubricity and Discomposedness of mind whereby they are apt to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine and out of Simplicity and Credulity to be wrought upon by the cunning of those who are skilful to deceive 6. Some have itching ears hearkning always after new things whom Manna will not please without Quails who have some particular mens persons in admiration and give up themselves by a blind obedience and implicite Faith into their hands to be led by them into novel and singular Opinions 7. Prevailing of Lust and domestical Interest doth in many men darken their mind and entangle their Judgements and betray them unto that sad condition of being given over to strong Delusions to believe Lyes Upon these and such like Reasons there have been always Differences in the Church We find a contention between Paul and Barnabas and between Paul and Peter We find some for Paul others for Apollo and some for Cephas and others for none of them all but for Christ without them we find some building upon the foundation Silver and gold and others Hay and stubble We read of great differences between the Eastern and Western Churches touching the Observation of Easter and between the Roman and African Churches in the matter of Rebaptization of many sharp Dissentions between sundry great and famous Bishops and Pastors of the antient Churches To say nothing of the present sad experience which we may everywhere observe of the same Truth the Scripture hath foretold it and it cannot be otherwise that there must be Heresies and Offences nevertheless we must not hereby be discouraged from using all pious and prudent Endeavours for pacification of the persons so dissenting concerning which Accommodation we are to distinguish 1. Of Opinions whereof some are in the Foundation in those primitive Articles of Faith and Essentials of Religion on which the house of God is built the errors contrary whereunto are subversive pernicious and damnable some are only in the Superstruction which are not Fidei but Quaestionum which do not overturn the Edifice nor endanger the Vitals of Religion such were in the Apostles time Disputes touching Meats and Drinks and Days and Things indifferent wherein though men abound in their own sense yet it must ever be with Meekness and with humble submission to the Spirits of the Prophets and to the Judgement Order and Peace of the Church 2. Of Persons Some are Seducers who out of Pride Enmity against the Doctrine which is according unto Godliness carnal ends desire of Advantage and Domination do sow Tares in the Church and cause Rents and Divisions therein such were Hymeneus Philetus Diotrephes and others Others are seduced people who through Ignorance Credulity Simplicity Facility and Flexibleness of Spirit are led away captive by the cunning Craftiness of them who lie in wait to deceive Again Some are men of meek humble peaceable and quiet spirits amongst whom though there be differences of Judgement yet they do upon common Principles of Faith and Holiness agree in love and joyn in pursuing the same common Salvation neither monopolizing the priviledges of Saints neither judging or despising the other neither holding any Error supinely pertinaciously uncharitably or factiously Others are men of