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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A61449 Thoughts about promoting the interest of Christ's universal church Stephens, Edward, d. 1706. 1700 (1700) Wing S5444A; ESTC R222028 4,383 5

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3. If instead of railing at one another and preaching at this rate hatred rather than charity the Clergy of all the particular Churches made it their onely business to preach Repentance and Faith according to the first Article they would shew the more of an Apostolick Spirit and reap the more fruit from their labors I have often wondered at their taking more pleasure in the making of Proselytes to their Church than in turning their own flock from the world to heaven and from the Slavery of the Prince of the world to the glorious liberty of the Kingdom of God He that hath a tenderness for the perswasion he professes should not incourage vicious worldlings to come into it since a great many well disposed Souls ground their esteem of a Church upon the number of good patterns which that Church affords So that it is the Interest of those that would bring their own perswasion into request to contribute what they are able that Christian Vertues might shine brighter in their Church than in any other 4. If people of differing perswasions fell into Company they should avoid all controversie the handling whereof seldom betters men but often inflames animosities And most men do think it a lessening of their own reputation and that of their masters if they should yield one tittle of their Systeme of Divinity Whereas some have done good even upon men of a differing perswasion by declining controverted points and grounding their discourse upon those subjects which as essential to salvation are owned by all partys though put in execution by a very few of them 5. Those few that know Christ really (a) 1 Cor. I. 24. as the Power of God in the faithfull and feel by this knowledge (b) Joh. XVII 3. eternal life in them having attained to the blessed experience of (c) 1 Cor. VI. 17. being one Spirit with Christ may endeavor to get acquainted and settle a correspondence with one another though Providence hath placed them in different Provinces of the Lords Vineyard Such a correspondence would not only prove of comfort and incouragement to themselves but they might confer with one another about carrying on the common interest against the Kingdom of darkness that all along so miserably deludes the Slaves of its Dominions and thwarts the heirs of Gods Kingdom In the mean while every one making it his main business to strengthen the weak of his own perswasion and to rescue them from perishing If the following of this method should by Gods blessing prove successfull and Christs meek peaceable heavenly Spirit dethrone the haughty broilsome worldly spirit of Satan in most peoples minds they would soon hasten to brotherly imbraces But the turbulent opposers of Love and Union would be left to fret away by their so much beloved sowrness Macarius Homil. XXXII As the Sun inlightens the whole earth so God is every where If you look for him in heaven there he is in the thoughts of the Angels If you seek him on earth there he is to be met with in the hearts of men But of a great many there is but few such Christians as please him Homil. V. There is a great difference between real Christians and the rest of mankind Real Christians have their mind and understanding all wayes in a heavenly disposition eternall blessings are all wayes in their sight by reason of the communion and participation of the holy Ghost They are born of God from above they are dignifyed to be Gods Children in Truth and Power after much labour sweat and time they are arrived at settlednesse steadinesse tranquillity and comfort ceasing to be sifted and tossed by fickle and vain thoughts In this they are better and greater than the world because their mind and understanding rests in the Peace of Christ and the love of the holy Ghost as the Lord speaking of such saith They are past from death unto life Wherefore the difference of Christians from the rest of men doth not consist in form and outward appearance For by the renovation of the mind by the tranquillity of the thoughts by the Love of the Lord and by a heavenly longing differs the New Creature of Christians from all the men of the World Homil. XXV We have not yet obtained the exultation of Christs salvation because the sting of death sticks still in us We have not yet put on the new man which is created after God in holynesse because we have not yet put of the old man corrupted according to the desires of the Deceit We do no yet wear the heavenly image nor are made resembling to the glory thereof because in our mortal body sin bears the sway still We have not yet beheld the glory of what is incorruptible because we are still under a dark moonless night We have not yet put on the armour of light because we have the weapons and works of darknesse still about us We are not yet transformed by the renovation of our mind because we continue in conformity to the world by the vanity of our mind We are not glorifyed with Christ because we do not suffer with him We carry not his marks in our body about us entered into the mystery of the Cross of Christ for we are still wedded to our carnal passions and lusts We are not yet become Gods Heirs and Coheirs of Christ because the Spirit of Servitude and not of adoption reigns in us We are not yet become a Temple of God and a habitation of the holy Ghost because we are still a temple of Idols and a lurking place of wicked spirits by the strong bent of our Soul to passion FINIS