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A93733 The cause and cure of divisions: or, The way and means for all Chr[istians] (however they are distinguished [or] named) to come to unity Demonstrated and pointed out from the scriptures of truth; by Richard Stafford, a scribe instructed therein. Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703. 1699 (1699) Wing S5109; ESTC R230354 13,703 16

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our Craft is in danger to be set at naught but also that the Temple of the Great Goddess Diana should be despised and her Magnificence should be destroyed whom all Asia and the World Worshippeth So that this was in a matter of Worship also But further since that the Nations have been brought over from the Worship of Dumb Idols unto the true living and only God the Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all things therein yet still there hath been all along no small stir about the way and manner of the worship of this true God The main Controversie Question and Doubt therein hath been chiefly as to this Point whither God is to be served and worshipped according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel as Moses was Admonished of God for saith he see that thou do all things according to the Partern shewed to thee in the Mount And now in these last days under the Dispensation of the Son of God All the Rudiments of the World with all the Jewish Ordinances and Observances Which all are to Perish with the using the Commandments and Doctrines of Men Col. 2.22 They having been all abolished and done away ever since that Jesus Christ the High Priest of our Profession said that it was finished on the Cross which is so as to all that dispensation and way of Worship But now the hour being come wherein People are not to Worship at Jerusalem nor yet at yonder Mountain But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the father in Spirit and in Truth for the father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 24. From this place again it is evident and manifest that all things now in the Worship of God and of his Son Jesus Christ ought to be done according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel For that is Spiritual and True yea Spirit and Truth it self So that the stir which hath been all along in the Christian Churches about the way and manner of the worship of God hath been as to this Question whither God ought only to be worshipped according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel or whither he is to be worshipped by the meer Ordinances and Inventions of Men or whither they also should be brought in and intermingled therewith As to which they that contend earnestly for the faith wherein also is the worship of God included which was once delivered unto the Saints do also contend earnestly that God ought to be worshipped only the first way and they are for having every Plant in his worship which our Heavenly father hath not Planted to be Rooted up But as for the others again who have sought and found out many Inventions in the worship of God after the Commandments and Doctrines of Men they are for keeping unto them still thinking within themselves and alledging to one another as Demetrius did to his fellow Crafts-men Ye know that by this Craft we have our wealth And so it is By these Liturgies Rites Ceremonies Traditions and Institutions of our own we have our Church Preferments and Livelihood And if we should once yield or consent unto them who go about to perswade and turn away the People That as Paul said they be no Gods which are made with hands So that is not the worship of the true God which is the Circumcision made with hands That is not the worship of the true God for he is not pleased therewith nor will accept of it which is made and devised by Man However this Foundation and Truth stands firm it being an Eternal Maxim fixed in the Heavens Notwithstanding Men through Corrupt Interest would gainsay or distinguish against it But if this truth were once Universally received into the minds of Men as indeed it ought to be so as for them to obey it and do accordingly what would be the Consequence of all It follows So that not only this our Craft is in danger to be set at naught We should not only be in danger to lose our Tythes and Church Revenues and our Cathedral service would be despised and the Magnificence and outward shew and Pomp of our worship would be destroyed Which the Rich and Chief of the People are most of all for Such being the Vanity of their minds as to falsely think that God is altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 So that because they like nothing but what is costly and makes a Goodly outward shew thereupon they wrongly imagine as if God was not pleased with any worship but what did make an outward shew As to which it is thus Written The Kings Daughter whereby Mystically and Spiritually is signified the Church of God is all Glorious within Psal 45.13 The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation in the Margent there it is with outward shew Neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17.21 The true worship of God doth not stand nor consist in Divers washings or sprinklings or in Carnal Ordinances imposed on the worshippers until the Time of Reformation which words do imply that they should be utterly laid aside now the Time of Reformation is fully come under the Gospel nor yet doth the true worship of God stand or consist so much in Divers Bowings and Cringings or Gestures but it is an inward thing for what is Spiritual or in Spirit is inward But they being vainly puffed up in their fleshy mind Colos 2.18 Would have Gospel worship which is altogether an Inward and Spiritual thing to be so modelled and framed as to make a fair shew in the flesh and they have got their Worldly Interest and Livelihood to be interwoven and mixed therewith This is the very reason why the Errour and Corruption of the Papacy hath been and continued so long even unto this Day and the end thereof is not as yet The Priests and Clergy Men thereof who may be stiled the Corrupters of all what was before true and undefiled Religion have got into their hands and possessions such and such Revenues and Riches and Tythes and yearly Estate called St. Peters Patrimony and the Patrimony of the Church and they well knowing the conveniency thereof and they being in no wise willing to part with them this makes them to stickle might and main for their own Errours and Corruptions And these Leaders of the People cause them to err as so many Thousands blindly and miserably do in what is called a great Part of the Christian World The like Errour and Corruption altho it be in a much less degree and measure remains as yet even in the reformed Church of England For if it were once modelled according to the Pure Word of God or if all things therein were done according to the Pattern shewed to us in the Gospel It should be yet further