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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29104	A perswasive (sic) to peace and unity a sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor and the aldermen of the city of London ; at the Church of St. Mary le-bow, on Sunday, January 16th 1697/8 / by Samuel Bradford.	Bradford, Samuel, 1652-1731.	1698 (1698)	Wing B4117; ESTC R6286	17,512	34

unworthy of our Heavenly Calling All that farther remains is in the Last place to shew how we may best attain to the Practice of this Duty I have been from the Apostle urging upon you As to this I shall lay down but three plain and easy Directions and so conclude In order to this End we should get our minds thorowly possessed with the grace of Humility This I mention first because 't is that which the Apostle himself adviseth to as a good disposition towards Vnity and Peace ver 1. I beseech you sayes he that you would walk worthy of your Vocation ver 2. How with all lowliness and meekness keeping the Vnity of the Spirit c. Contention of all sorts and particularly in matters of Religion generally flows from pride an over-weening Opinion of our selves and our own Judgments whereas Humility disposeth us to consider impartially our selves and to hear and receive whatsoever good reason can be offer'd by another who differs from us and which is more it disposeth us heartily to seek and to obtain the Direction and Assistance of Almighty God in all our inquiries after Truth who taketh pleasure in resisting the Proud but giveth grace to the Humble We shall do well likewise to take into consideration and lay to heart seriously the many and great mischiefs which contention and division have brought upon the Church of Christ I need not mention the ill effects that have proceeded from this Cause in Foreign Churches of old Experience has taught us enough with respect to our own in which our differences about matters of Religion and the Divisions that have follow'd upon them have produced very deplorable consequences throughout this last Age. Not to mention the civil discord which hath at least been exceedingly heighten'd hereby I fear much of that Scepticism and Infidelity as well as the Profaneness and looseness of manners that have brought a scandal upon our times must be ascribed to this cause I am sure that want of Discipline for the amending our manners which all good men amongst us complain of must necessarily follow upon our being divided into so many several Communions and Partys in Religion 'T is time for us now to lay these things to heart when that which we all know hindered our Union is taken out of the way I mean a design in those who had the management of publick affairs amongst us first to divide us and by that means to prepare us for a change of Religion 'T is certainly the Duty as well as the Interest of all amongst us who have any regard for the Protestant Religion being now so happily and Peaceably settled under another Influence to forget our past contentions whether with respect to the Affairs of Church or State and to do what in us lyes towards the becoming entirely one Body in both We may do well in the last place to lay down this as a certain and undoubted Principle that the Peace and Edification of the Church of Christ and particularly of that part of it to which we belong is infinitely to be prefer'd before all those little things with respect to which we usually contend and divide The main consideration which prevails with a great part of those who divide from the Communion established amongst us is as far as I can perceive that although they allow our publick Service and Communion to be lawful and occasionally declare that they do so by their Practice yet there is something in the other way which they like better and which they say is to themselves more Edifying Now waving all other Answers to this I shall only recite and leave to your Serious Consideration two plain Texts of Scripture rather chusing to speak to you in Gods words than in my own that they may leave the deeper impression on your minds in both which we are taught to prefer the Peace of the Church and the Edification of our Christian Brethren before our own Satisfaction or the meer pleasing and gratifying our selves nay even before all other considerations whatsoever in matters which are in their own Nature indifferent One is that of St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans where having discours'd of some differences which were arisen amongst the Christians of that Church about the use of things indifferent namely Eating some kinds of Meats Rom. 14 1● and observing some sort of days he concludes First with this Excellent saying the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost that is Christianity consists not in the Former but in the latter The Former are indifferent and may be used or not used as they conduce to the Peace of the Church and the Edification of our Brethren but the latter are absolutely necessary ver 18. For as it follows he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men And then he adds that Divine Exhortation Let us therefore follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewith one may Edisie another Not the things which would most gratifie our selves But the things which make for Peace Nay not the things which we may Imagine our selves might be most edisyed by But the things wherewith one may Edifie another The other Text is of the same Apostle who had a truly large Soul and every where expresses a generous Charity in his Epistle to the Colossians He had in the Former Chapter taken notice of the Differences between the Judaizing Christians and others upon which after other Advice he concludes Col. 3.14 15. Above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of Perfectness And let the Peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one Body Charity it seems was in his Judgment to Bind and Tye them as it were perfectly together in Spite of all their smaller differences and a Peaceable Temper of Spirit to over-rule all their little controversies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about indifferent things The word we translate Rule is Remarkable alluding to the Vmpire in their Games who was to determine all controversies that should arise and particularly to whom the prize did belong as if he had said If there Happen any differences amongst you concerning matters of Religion not necessary but in their own Nature indifferent nay if you it may be could your selves prefer one way before another yet judging neither of them unlawful Let the Peace of God rule in your hearts in all such cases let that determine all such controversies let Judgment or arbitration be always given on the side of Peace and Concord and Vnity for to these things ye are called in one Body After this I shall need to add no more but only to remind you that the Holy Sacrament which we are now going to partake of is the Symbol and Badge of this Vnity I am pleading for 't is that whereby we profess to the World as I observ'd at the first our Communion with God and our Saviour and with all good Christians 't is that whereby upon this Occasion we own our selves Members of the Established Church not as divided from the rest of the Christian Church but as one sound-part of that great Body and 't is consequently that which strictly obligeth us to be henceforward the obedient Servants of God the faithful Disciples of our Lord Peaceable Charitable and Useful Members of his Body Designing and promoting as far as in us lyes the Welfare both of this Church and of the Catholick Church of Christ throughout the World Now to that one God and Father of all who hath call'd us to be Members of his Sons Body to that one Lord who is the Head of this Body and to that one Et●●nal and Invisible Spirit who animates and Influences every genuine part and Member of it be ascribed all honour Praise and Glory now and for ever Amen FINIS A Sermon Preach'd at the Church of St. Mary le Bow To the Societies for Reformation of Manners October the 4th 1697. By Samuel Bradford Rector of the said Church

are proper for the helping us to understand an antient Book not leaning to our own understandings to such a degree as may hinder us from consulting with those who are best qualified to assist us adding withal our Earnest prayers to Almighty God for the aid of his Holy Spirit to enlighten and to sanctifie out Minds in the use of them by which means we shall not fail to preserve that Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Judgments which St. Paul may be understood here to exhort us to To keep the Vnity of the Spirit implys also the preserving and cherishing of Love and Affection amongst Christians After an honest care used for the information of our Understandings we may possibly differ as I observ'd before in matters of less weight and moment as we find some did even in the Apostles days This may fall out from the difference there is between the Parts and Abilities of several Men. A Serious Study and Practice of the Christian Religion do indeed tend to enlarge the Understandings and minds of men but yet still there is left that difference which Nature has made between the capacity of one Man and another Besides that some have much greater Advantages and fairer Opportunitys for the improving of themselvs than others have Whence it comes to pass that there are weak as well as strong Christians babes in Christ such as have need of milk as well as others that are well grown and are able to digest stronger meat Even men of equal capacities and abilities may through their different Advantages through their tempers or their Conversations have differing apprehensions concerning several points of Christianity it self But yet in this case we may all keep the Vnity of the Spirit with respect to our Affection and Charity towards each other Christian Love is due to the Christian Temper and Spirit wherever they are to be found The Image of God and our Redeemer wherever it appears ought to engage the hearty approbation and cordial Love of Every one who pretends to bear the same Resemblance Mutual Charity is so necessary to the Members of the Christian Body that we know 't is made by our Lord himself the distinguishing Character of his Disciples this being the special and peculiar Precept which he gave them John 13.34 35. 1 John 3 11. that they should Love one another even as he had lov'd them St. John therefore calls it the Message which they had heard from the beginning that they should love one another There is indeed nothing more universally recommended to Christians and nothing more vehemently urg'd upon them than this kind of Unity Rom. 12.16 Col. 3.12 13 14. Thus St. Paul Be of the same mind one towards another and Again Put on as the elect of God that is as sincere Christians Holy and Beloved bowels of mercies kindness Long Suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another even as Christ forgave you so also do ye And above all these things put on Charity which is the bond of Perfectness that is which is the most perfect Bond or Tye whereby Christians are united to each other And to name no more just before the Text as an Introduction to this keeping the Vnity of the Spirit he exhorts the Ephelsians to be long-suffering ver 2. forbearing one another in love And according to all these excellent Precepts it was the mutual Affection of the primitive Christians by which they were distinguished and for which they were envied by their Enemies when they could look upon them and say Behold how they love one another Nothing ought to separate one Christian from another in this respect but what at the same time separates him from Christ For whilst we are Members of the same Body whilst we are all united to the same Head 't is absurd not to retain a regard to each other suitable to such a Relation To keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace farther implies a quiet and Peaceable nay a kind and amicable demeanor towards each other in our whole Conversation This is necessarily consequent upon the former such a Behaviour being the natural effect of inward affection and good will so that I need not insist largely on this after what I have said upon the foregoing particular I shall only take notice that as it includes a meek and Gentle treatment of each other in all respects so more particularly with respect to our Speech I mean that we never provoke or I ritate our fellow Christians by any rude or undecent Language which is so far from being allowable in a Christian that it is altogether unbecoming a Man But I thought fit to mention it both because this is too common a fault the Tongue as St. 〈…〉 Jane expresses it being an unruly evil insomuch that if any man offend not in word he pronounces him a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body vers 2. as also because the consequences of it are oftentimes very deplorable as the same Apostle observes Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth ver 5 6. And the tongue is a fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our Members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of Nature and it is set on fire of Hell but especially because too many professing Christianity to the great dishonour of their profession upon every slight difference that happens amongst them about their Opinions in Religion are exceedingly prone to this Evil accounting it a Testimony of Zeal for God and his cause when they can express themselves in very bitter and reproachful terms not considering what St. ver 16 17 18. James adds in the conclusion of that Discourse that this Wisdom namely which is accompanyed with bitter envying and Strife descendeth not from above but is Earthly sensual devilish whereas the wisdom which is from above is first pure then Peaceable Gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and of good fruits and the fruit of righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace For which Reason St. Paul thus bespeaks the Ephesians in the Chapter out of which my Text is taken Let all Bitterness and Wrath and Anger and Clamor v. 31 32. and Evil Speaking be put away from you with all Malice and be ye kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Indeed for a Peaceable behaviour in the general the New Testament throughout abounds with plain and excellent Precepts Thus St. Paul 1. Thes 5.13 14 15. to the Thessalonians Be at peace among your selves and Again Be patient towards all men See that none render Evil for Evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men 2 Tim. 2.22 24. 25. In like manner to Timothy Follow Righteousness Faith Charity Peace with them that call on the Lord