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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bless_a	jesus_n	lord_n	6,161	5	3.6174	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53386	The opinions of certaine reverend and learned divines concerning the fundamentall points of the true Protestant religion, and the right government of reformed churches Wherein is declared the plaine path-way to a godly and religious life. Published by authoritie.; Good counsells for the peace of reformed churches.	T. I.; Davenant, John, ca. 1572-1641.; Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Morton, Thomas, 1564-1659.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1643 (1643)	Wing O356; ESTC R216583	49,936	153

brother He that is a proficient is never ashamed Hitherto have I laid down the meanes and manner how an Union may be setled and continued betwixt severall and independent Churches But because it may and often doth happen that there are divers men both learned and unlearned living in the same Church and within the Dominions of the same Prince whose consciences whether rightly or misinformed will not suffer them to subscribe to the common and more generally received Opinion in these Controversies let us in the next place enquire what course is best to be taken concerning such men And here the Governours of each severall Church if they have any regard respect to the safety of their weak Brethren they must see that they doe not intermixe with the publike Confessions and Articles of Religion which they would have received and assented unto by all such as live under their Jurisdiction any curious and unnecessary Controversies nor any decisions of nice and subtle Questions but rather they must take care that such publike Confessions be framed and temper'd to the capacity of the common people so as they may instruct edify the ignorant and promote the salvation of all Herein they should doe well to consider the wisdome of our Fore-fathers whose ancient Confessions unlesse we corrupt stuffe them with new Opinions of our own on purpose to disturb the publike Peace no sober and discreet man will refuse to subscribe unto them Neither is there any necessity why we should burden our publike Confessions with any such additions of our own since God himselfe hath ordained to bring his people to heaven and happines not through the rough knotty paths of perplex'd intricate Disputes but by the smooth and compendious way of Faith Charity Why then such strifes and contentions about words What make Schoole-nicities amongst Church-Confessions the Salvation of Christians is wholy placed in beleiving and serving God as that great Athanasius sometimes gravely spake Adde to this that they will have much adoe to maintaine a firme peace with other Churches who cease not to persecute men and expell them their Communion as if they were Hereticks onely because they maintain that Doctrine which those other Churches hold and professe for in so doing what doe they else but tacitly charge Heresy upon other Churches whom though in word they acknowledge for their Brethren yet they hereby show that in their hearts they much disapprove and dislike them Lastly unlesse the publike Confessions of Churches be cnofined to such Points onely as are fundamentall and generally received by all the Reformed Churches this inconvenience must of necessity follow thereupon that many learned pious and peaceable Ministers shall be driven out disenabled from exercising the Ministery in those Churches wherein they live But if any man doubt whether or no such men may lawfully entertaine a holy and spirituall Communion one with another in the same Church who yet agree not amongst themselves in all Points of Divinity this as I conceive is a matter out of all doubt and question For as touching that blessed Communion which is betwixt Christians at the receiving of the Lord's Supper it consist's cheifly in these particulars that by the common bond of the blessed Spirit we are all united to that sole head of the Church Christ Jesus that by the same Spirit and by Faith and Charity we are united amongst our selves and linked together as it were into one body that lastly like men fed at the same table we are all of us nourished up unto eternall life with the same quickning food to wit the body and blood of Christ in all these particulars doe they professe a Communion whosoever approach and are admitted to that holy Table But now as we doe not by this mutuall Communion professe our selves to have attained all of us either to perfection or to an equall measure of knowledge in Divinity so neither doe we hereby professe that there is an absolute and exact agreement amongst us about all Points of Divinity or that we are all of us in one and the same Opinion about all Disputes and Controversies If no Communion could be had amongst Christians but upon such hard termes as these I beleive it would hardly be found betwixt S. Peter and S. Paul certaine I am the Church of Corinth must of necessitie have fallen in peices and in these times of ours there would not easily be found many Divines of note and eminence which could with a safe conscience communicate together at the same holy Sacrament and Supper of our Lord It is therefore the duty of all Church-Governours as being conscious to themselves of the common infirmities of all men both themselves others to take heed least while they exact of their People a too strict and punctuall Confession of more than what 's necessary they thereby wound and weaken the sweet Peace and Unity of Christendome than which nothing more necessary So much for Church-Governours Come we in the next place to such Ministers and other Christians of what state and condition soever as desire to continue in the Communion of those Churches wherein they live but yet their Consciences will not permit them to allow professe all the common and received Opinions of the said Churches Such men must see that they show themselves teachable and tractable and not persist after a proud and pertinacious manner in defence of those Opinions wherein they dissent from their Church Now such a one is to be accounted teachable and tractable who lends a willing and attentive eare to the instructions and information of the Church who doe's not dissent from her out of any perverse and peevish humour but meerely out of the weaknesse of his judgement being not able in such profound Points to discerne that Trueth which men of greater learning and more acute wits easily see and perceive And because it is the peculiar prerogative of Almighty God to search the hearts it behoves us Christians to encline alwaies to the more favourable and more charitable side and where we have not cleare and evident reasons for the contrary we ought to judge of every man that he denies his assent rather out of conscience than contumacy and perversenesse They who thus behave themselves are not to be excluded and expelled the Communion of those Churches wherein they live for petty mistakes and errours in their Opinions but yet with this caution and condition that they take not upon them to oppose the received Opinion of the Church or to publish spread their own private Opinion amongst the common people Nor can they justly dislike of this caution or take it ill whosoever have a desire to live peaceably in the Communion of the Church for admit that the private Opinion of some Divine or any other Christian be true and the publike judgement of the Church erroneous yet neverthelesse if the Errour be such as doe's not prejudice a Christian

man's salvation it is much better that the true Opinion of any private man whatsoever should quietly lie hid in silence and obscurity than that the publike authority of the Church should be openly contemned and trampled on or that the Churche's Peace by this unnecessary conflict of jarring Opinions as by two contrary windes should be shaken and torne in peices But if any man be perswaded in his conscience that his private Opinion wherein hee differ's from the Church is of such moment and importance as that men cannot be saved without the knowledge of it such a one if he cannot perswade and convince the Rulers and Governours of his Church in this matter must either turne aside into some other Church or else for the good of men's soules patiently submit to such censures as the Church in which he live's shall inflict upon him This is it most learned Sir which at your request I thought good to write and send unto you If it may stand you or any man else in any steed for the advancing of the Churche's Peace I have all my wish ayme for which I penned it They who are better acquainted with the present state and affaires of the Germane Churches than I am will be able no doubt to give you fuller and better advice herein For my selfe it remaine's onely that I humbly beseech Almighty God that he would move and encline the hearts of Princes earnestly to desire this blessed Union of our Churches that he would enlighten the understandings of Divines to find out and follow after such meanes as may most conduce to the speedy establishing of it that lastly he would enflame the hearts of all Christians to embrace this Peace bequeath it to all posterity The God of Peace grant this for the sake of his deare Sonne the sole Author procurer of our Peace To whom with the blessed Spirit be all honour glory thankesgiving world without end AMEN THE OPINION OF THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD THOMAS MORTON Bishop of DVRHAM Concerning The Peace of the Church Worthy SIR I CANNOT easily expresse how much I was joyed with those few leaves which I lately receaved from you as soone as I understood how that there was now at length some hopes of setling a true and brotherly union betwixt Us those of Germany who hold the Augustane Confession For seeing that the very name of Peace is sweet and delight some much more the thing it selfe especially if it be a Peace in Religion which indeed comprehends in it all kinds of true Peace and Unity I cannot chuse therefore but congratulate and joy you Sir with that good and truly-Apostolicall office which you now undergoe an Emploiment which hath ever this successe that it never can prove in vaine or be altogether lost for it will be sure either to redound to the good of him that receive's it if it be embraced or else if rejected returne back againe into his bosome who proffer's it Notwithstanding I observe there are two maine Controversies set downe by you which seem to let and hinder why wee cannot quickly be united and made one Church the former is touching the Eucharist the other touching that involv'd and mysterious Point of Praedestination For the composing of which two Controversies that you should desire my opinion seeme's truly to me to be a course somewhat preposterous and out of order rather wee should imitate as I conceive those expert Physitions who sometimes cure one contrary by another so likewise we seeing that Discords in Opinion have bred disaffection and hatred in men's minds 't were necessary we should first endeavour that love and amity may be seated in the hearts and affections of men that so we may the more easily allay their heat in disputation and reconcile them in their much differing Opinions To the promoting of this good work I neither can nor may be wanting All that I shall say touching both Controversies give me leave to glance at in three words to wit that the way meanes of establishing an Union to men of peaceable minds is easie to such as are lesse moderate t is possible to both very necessary The first THESIS That 't is easie for peaceable and moderate men to be reconciled THis appeare's plainely from that love and freindship which was in times past betwixt the Professors of both sides notwithstanding that their differences in Opinion were then very rife This is a Point of speciall moment and therefore for proofe of it we should not alledge the examples of any obscure men but of such as were eminent and beyond all exception of both sides Let them then if they please consult their Luther Melanchthon Jacobus Andreae Brentius Wee 'l bring in our Calvin Bucer Peter Martyr and Zanchy all which sometimes shined in the Church of Christ like starres of the first magnitude First then there are to be seene in Calvin's workes many excellent Elogies of Luther even then when Luther did inveigh most bitterly against all our men in the Point of the Sacrament and provoked them farre to repay him in his owne language Whose passions thereby moved enflamed Calvin with admirable prudence supprest kept from breaking out but I desire saith he you would consider first what a worthy man Luther is and with what excellent gifts qualified with what courage constancy with what dexterity with what successe and efficacy of his Doctrine he hath hitherto bent and bestir'd himselfe to lay wast the Kingdome of Antichrist maintaine the Doctrine of our Salvation I have many times said that should he call me Divel yet neverthelesse I would still have so reverent an esteem of him as to acknowledge him for a worthy servant of God Thus Calvin a saying so full of sweetnesse and moderation as if not a man but humanity it selfe had spoken it Not long after he made use of the Apostle's argument to containe keep in our Divines least waxing too hot and passionate they should break out into revilings it become's us saith he so to reprove what we finde amisse in him as that we remit something out of an honourable respect to his rare endowments let not therefore that befall u● which is denounced by S. Paul that by biting and devouring one another we be consumed Though he have provoked us yet are wee rather to keep us quiet than to teare the wound wider to the publike danger and dammage of God's Church But now how did Luther carry himselfe was he so farre possest with prejudice and passion as to disdaine all commerce and societie with our men Nay he refused not to enter into freindship with Calvin himselfe though he knew him to be a stout Champion of our Sacramentary Cause Let Calvin himselfe speake if you please Notwithstanding Luther saith he in private was so farre from accounting me his enimy that though he well knew my Opinion ye refused he not to salute mee with reverence by

letters writ with his owne hand for the dishonesty of Westphalus forceth mee to speake thus foolishly so as to relate it in the very same expression which he himselfe used Afterwards when the Agreement was halfe finished at Marpurge and they were not yet departed from that meeting he affirme's that he retained the same esteeme of Occolampadius and Zuinglius as he formerly had done and he did there solemnly promise to account and respect them hence forth as Brethren Secondly what an intimate freindship familiarity there was betwixt Melanchthon Jacobus Andreae Brentius and our Divines the mutuall Salutations which passed betwixt them can abundantly witnes Melanchthon writing to Calvin begins his Letter after this manner Reverend and Christian Brother I trust we shall have a time to meet and conferre together And afterwards concluding I beseech the Sonne of God our Lord Jesus Christ the Guardian and keeper of his Church that he would guide and protect Thee and us All Farewell most deare Brother Besides what was observed concerning Melanchthon others by our Sturmius he himselfe will by no meanes conceale from us as though saith he Philip Melanchthon did not impart his Opinion touching the Sacrament to Peter Martyr afterwards to divers others with whom he still continued in love and freindship Further Jacobus Andreae and Brentius did unanimously adhere to the Opinion of Luther concerning the Eucharist of whom notwithstanding Calvin thus speaks your Letters worthy Sir and my much honoured Brother speaking to Jacobus Andreae were not a litle welcome to me for as much as I understand by them how that amids these sad and unhappy contentions wherein I am most unwillingly engaged you still continue like affected towards me as heretofore you have been Againe this your moderation of mind I embrace highly applaud Farewell worthy Sir and my much respected Brother I wish all happinesse to Brentius God Almighty ever guide and direct you by his blessed spirit strengthen and sustaine you by his power and shower downe his blessings in abundance upon you And againe in another Letter Brentius salute's you Thus were matters carried amongst thē and why should not We putting on bowells of meeknesse tread the steps of these Worthies Shall they breath out nothing but mildnesse and sweetnesse and wee nought but rage and fury God forbid I have done with the first Thesis I now proceed to the second The second THESIS That 't is possible for the most hot and rigorous spirits to be reconciled and agreed GIve mee leave to make use of that Maxime of Aristotle so frequently used in the Schooles but in a sense somewhat different Quae conveniunt in eodem Tertio inter se conveniunt such two things as agree in any one third agree likewise betwixt themselves In like manner I conceive that though we differ much in our Opinions about the Eucharist yet there are still remaining amongst us some common Principles and certaine notes or notions out of which any one who is not blinded with prejudice may draw an assertion One is the authority of Scripture sufficient of it selfe to challenge a beleife a second is the cleare light of Antiquity as cleare as the Sunne at mid-day But this is no fit place to discourse at large upon these Three other there are which in no wise may bee passed over seing they are such as are more proper and peculiar to the two adverse parts I wil begin with the first of thē The Augustane Confession is by the Divines of Saxony esteemed as an Oracle of undeniable and unquestionable authority now if our men allow and approve of that Confession ● doe not see what can possibly make more for the obtaining of a Reconciliation And for certaine Calvin herein agrees with them I desire saith hee as much as any man a sincere and true union so it be such as God hath approved in his word nor doe I reject the Augustane Confession whereunto I did once wittingly and willingly subscribe according to that interpretation which the Author thereof himselfe put upon it Againe I affirme saith hee that in that Confession as it was printed at Ratisbon there 's not so much as one word which is contrary to our Doctrine and if there be any ambiguity to be met with in the sense none is more ●it to be the Interpreter of it than the Author himselfe whose worth will easily obtaine him that honour with all pious and learned men So He. Neither is he singular in this but others there are though of the same Opinion with him concerning the Eucharist who will grant as much a I am of the number of those saith John Sturmius who concerning the receiving of the body blood of Christ approve of the Augustane Confession Hierome Zanchy hath a desire to bring in his verdict too b I professe saith hee that as often as I had occasion to speake any thing about this Point I did alwaies containe my selfe within the compasse of these three heads the first whereof is that in the Lord's Supper not onely bread and wine but the very body and blood of our Lord is truely offered us by Christ and likewise truely received truely eaten and drunke by us The second but this is done not by the mouth and teeth of our body but by a true and an actuall faith The last that therefore this is done by beleivers onely and by none others Now these heads are taken out of God's word nor are they repugnant to the Augustane Confession These things being so those worthy men have the more reason to be entreated by us that besides the said Augustane Confession which was anciently framed and ordained to be the common rule of Faith for all Protestants whereby they might be distinguished from Papists they would not obtrude upon us any other private Opinions of their own to the hinderance of the publike Peace A second Principle of the like nature which even Reason it selfe doth dictate is this that no Antecedent is to be urged and pressed the necessary consequent and sequell whereof may not bee granted by us But now it is well knowne that Luther to remove out of the way the perill of Idolatry did abolish all a worshipping at the celebration of the Eucharist which had formerly been practised and for the same end he abolisht the elevation of the host also that b Brentius likewise did with much earnestnesse oppose their Breaden God for so hee himselfe terme's it lastly that c Melanchthon did reject their Bread-worship in the Lord's Supper Those godly and learned men therefore are to be entreated that they would well weigh with themselves whether or no these same abuses which They with so great applause cryed down and abhorred be not for all that the genuine ofspring of that Vbiquity which at this day is maintained by them Thirdly least any man haply should pretend that no whit is to bee abated of that

bitternesse and rigour wherewith at first they exercised the patience of Occolampadius and Zuinglius they are againe to be intreated that in their great wisedomes they would herein take notice of a vast difference Ananias in the ninth of the Acts when first he was warned in a Vision to put his hands upon Saul he was somewhat unwilling to doe it J have heard saith he by many of this man c. but afterwards having better understood the counsell and purpose of God he gladly embrace's him saying Brother Saul the Lord hath sent mee unto thee The very same might have been heretofore observed in the carriage of Luther himselfe towards Zuinglius and Oecolampadius whom at first hee fell upon roughly when he heard that they held there was nothing in the Eucharist save only bare signes and figures but afterwards having further examined their meaning he kindly courteously reacht out the right hand of fellowship unto them After the very same manner did Calvin likewise stand affected towards them as he himselfe confesseth when at my first entrance saith hee into the cleare sun-shine of the Gospell out of Popish darknes I read in Luther how that Oecolampadius and Zuinglius would admit of nothing in the Sacraments but bare and empty figures this I confesse so farre possest me with a prejudice against their writings that I refrained a long time from reading them Thus spoke Calvin at that time of those men whom notwithstanding he afterwards had in great love and familiarity with him Why may not then the Saxon Divines be pleased to show themselves Luthers towards us so long as they finde us not inferiour to Oecolampadius and Zuinglius in this Point The third THESIS That this friendly Vnion and Reconcilement we wish for is very necessary for all men whether of a milde or turbulent disposition IT is not my purpose to lash out into Common places wherein much paines might be spent and litle or no benefit got by it It behoves me rather to provide me of such arguments as may not coldly beg and intreat but command and as it were violently compell men to live at peace and unity amongst themselves Neither are there any as you well know fitter for the setling and confirming of such a Communion than are those which are drawne from the common joy or greife the common danger or the common good advantage of both sides There 's not a more evident and infallible signe of a true member of Christ than to compassionate or to have a fellow-feeling one of another which is seene especially in two things first in rejoycing at the hopes of a Reconciliation such as was the Psalmist's joy in that divine acclamation of his at the unity of Brethren ● how good and joyfull a thing it is Secondly a sorrow of heart at so long and wearisome a dissention such as the Jewes expressed by their great thoughts of heart for the divisions of Reuben Schisme growing and getting upon the Church at Corinth the Apostle exhort's them to bee {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement the word is derived frō {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which amongst Physitions signifies to set right againe such members as are out of joynt The same Apostle that he might compose and setle the mindes of the Philippians ô what a sacred charme doe's he make use of If saith he there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowells of mercies fulfill my joy But how may they doe that He goes on that yee be like minded having the same love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being of one accord of one mind I verily beleive that Eloquence her selfe if she had a tongue to speake she could not have spoke more emphatically where each word is a sharp dart peircing and wounding our very hearts and soules I will adde onely that long chaine of Vnities in the same Apostle to the Ephesians one body one spirit one hope one calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all all which make for that one thing which he there aime's at to wit that the Ephesians should endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace As touching the danger we all of us know that the tyranny of the Romish Antichrist hang's over our heads who sweetly sing's to himselfe that blacke and fatall Maxime divide impera set them once at variance and then you may quickly master them or rather by setting them at variance you may confound and tumble them into the pit of hell for the kingdome being once divided Hell it selfe cannot stand Let us learn to be wise from the examples of others the Guelphi and Gibelli●i those two implacable and irreconcileable Factions did agree together and joyne their forces when the common Enimie came against them and shall not We rowse our selves up to save defend our selves As for the gaine and advantage I mentiond can there be any greater gaine than Salvation and yet even this too the more common the greater and better it is Let us then I beseech you for the love of God set before our eyes the Greek Church which now seeme's to sue and wooe to us for a brotherly union and agreement as appeare's from that Confession of Faith lately set forth in the name of all the Easterne Churches by the right Reverend Father Cyrill Patriarch of Constantinople which agrees exactly with our Protestant Confessions in every Article set forth and published by him Me thinks I see this most ample farre spreading part of the Christian world ready to fly into our armes embraces presently upon the first newes of our unity and agreement amongst our selves which hope of ours should Christ be pleased to crowne with successe this alone would farre outvie and surpasse in glory all the triumphs and trophies of all the Emperours in the world But I hasten to your other Question The other CONTROVERSY Concerning that unfathom'd mystery of Praedestination upon the foresight of Faith and Workes THis is that other Question as I gather from your Letter whereon as on a rock divers men otherwise desirous of Peace have dasht and split themselves That therefore men may knowe I have not of my owne accord sought after and catcht at this opportunity to dispute but rather am cast upon it against my will my proceeding herein shall be not by way of disputation but as the Times rather require by way of exhortation advice I hope therefore the learned Divines of Saxony will take this my advice in good part wherein I earnestly pray and beseech them first that they would be reconciled to their owne Luther in this Point who as it did well become a child of Grace did constantly hold and maintaine that the Grace of God is every way free and