Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
nature_n body_n soul_n unite_v 6,291 5 9.7652 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A67182 The beauty of unity in a sermon preached at Preston in Lancashire at the opening of the Guide-merchant held there, September 4, 1682 / by Richard Wroe ... Wroe, Richard, 1641-1717. 1682 (1682) Wing W3726; ESTC R31851 15,914 42

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

dwell together in Unity The Words being an Argument for Unity it may seem less proper to divide them and my design being to set out the excellency and advantages of this Divine Grace I shall pursue it in the Characters here given in the Psalmists Description of it 't is both good and pleasant Which two are prevailing Arguments and the most forcible perswasives to engage our love and affections to any thing recommended to us for these two generally sway mens choice and all their pursuits are after what they apprehend as good or pleasant But before I press the Motives to Unity it seems necessary to know what it is since it is so rare to be met with that it seems to be little understood though indeed it is generally better unstood than practised Unity however single in it self yet is diversified by its Object and so is as various as the respects in which men may be united but I instance only in three sorts both as most comprehensive and chiefly to be endeavoured after 1. An Unity in Faith and Profession 2. In Worship and Practice 3. In Mind and Affection 1. Unity in Faith and Profession which is so named by the Apostle Eph. 4. 13. Which is absolutely necessary to the being of a Christian who by Faith is incorporated into the body of Christ and by Unity of the Faith is conjoyned to the members of that Body which are all united under one head For the Faith was once delivered says St. Jude and being but once delivered can be but One and as there is no way to be saved but by Faith so there is but one Faith to be saved by and therefore they that hope to receive the end of their Faith the salvation of their Souls must maintain the Unity of the Faith which is lost if divided and is no Faith if not the same that was once delivered In this respect we make it part of our Christian Profession to believe One Catholick Church because all agreeing in the same Faith though the Members be many yet the Church is but one because the Faith is but one for there is but one Lord and one Faith Eph. 4. 5. One Lord as the Foundation of all and one Faith whereby we assent to those truths which were received from Christ by the Apostles and by them delivered to Believers who are therefore all Members of one and the same Church because they profess one and the same Faith Now as we cannot be Christians without Faith so we cannot be of that One Catholick Church without the Unity of it and therefore as St. Jude exhorts ought to contend earnestly for that Faith once delivered that as St. Paul presses it we may keep the Unity of it in the bond of Peace For we may contend earnestly in this Case without breach of Peace or Charity since the end of this holy contention is an happy Unity namely of Faith and Profession 2. There is an Unity in Worship and Practice Which is consequent on the former when they that agree in the same Profession wear the same Badg and Livery and are known by the same signs and symbols of Worship and Communion This is that Unity of the Spirit Eph. 4. 3. or Spiritual Unity both as an effect of the Spirit and a sign of Spirituality when we manifest our Unity in the Faith by the correspondence of our Practice whether in the same Rites of Worship or the expressions of our Christian Communion thus we are made one by Worshipping the same God in one and the same manner We become one by Baptism the Sacrament of our Initiation which being as the Apostle says but one they which are admitted to it in receiving it are one and we are made one by participating of the same Supper of the Lord who commanded Eat ye all of this and drink ye all of this and so by communicating of one become as to that Communication one according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 7. We being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread So that when we list our selves under the same Banner as we do in our Baptism and engage in the same Warfare against the Devil the World and the Flesh whose Friendship we renounce and declare enmity against them when we all participate of the same Body whereof we are all Members and like the Israelites all eat the same spiritual meat and all drink the same spiritual drink when with the first Apostolick Church we continue in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayer when we are unanimous in the Worship of God and the holy Offices of Religion then do we hold fast the Bond of Unity and maintain the Communion of the faithful 3. Unity of Mind and Affection Which is the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace that great badg of Christianity the new Commandment that the Son of God prescrib'd to his followers that dying Legacy which he bequeathed to his Disciples that they should love one another that Unity which the Apostles so frequently and pathetically press in their Epistles St. Paul to the Corinthians 2 Epist 13. 11 Be of one mind and live in Peace to the Philippians 2. 2 That ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind St. Peter to the dispersed Christians 1 Ep. 3. 8. Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as Brethren be pittiful be courteous This is the peculiar Badg of our Profession which in its Nature and Design is a Religion of Love and Unity and nothing unites more strictly than kindness and affection For as in the Body Natural the Members however different in shape and distant in site from one another yet being all animated by the same Soul become one Body so the collective Body of Christians however distant in Place or differing in Language yet being all of one mind and affection make up one Body the Church of Christ On which account we offer up our Prayers to God for the preservation and protection of the Church Catholick to testifie our Unity with all the Members of that Body and express our hearty wishes for their welfare and prosperity and though the Gospel has extended our Charity and made it universal yet we are to have a more peculiar regard and love to them that are of the houshold of Faith Christians are all Brethren and thereby obliged to all the endearments of Brotherly Kindness and Affection and when their Unity in the Faith and Agreement in Worship is compleated by the Concord of their Mind and Affections there needs nothing more to make that perfect harmony which was once beheld in the Primitive Church when the whole multitude of Believers were all of one heart and of one soul Acts 4. 32. a joyful prospect to behold and lovely to look upon that which raised envy in their Enemies yet astonishment withal