Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	faith_n	unity_n	2,197	5	9.0779	5	false

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

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

Ecce quàm se mutuò diligunt Christiani behold said they how Christians love one another but a ravishing sight to them that wish well to Sion to see Brethren so dwell together in Unity I know there are other kinds of Unity besides these already mentioned as Unity of Discipline and Government Wherein that the Christian Churches did once all agree seems plain from hence that all sides admit this as a great Truth that is the best Form of Government which comes nearest to the Primitive Platform so that in the Primitive Church there was an Unity of Discipline the same Order of Men the same Form of Government in all the Churches of Christ Happy had it been had it received no alteration happy were we were all our differences in that respect silenced into an amicable agreement that as there is no Church where there is no Order no Ministry so we might all be of one and the same Church by enjoying the same Order and Ministry There is also an Unity of Opinion when men not only build upon the same Foundation but raise the same superstructure and agree not only in fundamentals but shake hands also in less necessary truths and have the same Sentiments and Opinions as well as Interests in all things An Unity that may be seen in Parties and Factions especially to promote an Interest or secure a Design but otherwise is very rare to be met with For as long as there are men of different Complexions and divided Interests there will be different Conceptions and disagreeing Opinions among them Certain it is that mens Tempers and Complexions strongly incline them to some Opinions more than others and no less evident it is that the prejudices of Education Acquaintance and Custom do no less strongly byass mens fancies with kindness to some Opinions and a dislike of others so that till all men are cast in the same mold and act upon the same Principles and drive on the same end and design Unity in Opinion is not like to be Universal Indeed both this and the other are rather to be wish'd than hoped for for till men be willing to part with their Opinions which yet few men are there is small hopes of Union that way and till men become Humble and Obedient to the Discipline and Government of the Church no hopes to be united under any one Form Besides that Opinions encrease with the age of the World and are daily multiplyed and men grow more fond of their own Form of Discipline and more averse to all others So that there is small hopes of a perfect correspondence in all things till we come to that happy Union which the Apostle describes Eph. 4. 13. till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ But if we cannot hope to see them yet we may and ought to pursue after them which would every one of us in his several capacity sincerely endeavour we should enjoy that blessing of the Lord to behold Truth and Unity met together to see Righteousness and Peace kiss each other and the only method to pursue those ends a right is to maintain inviolable that threefold Unity in Faith in Worship and Affection which is indispensably necessary to make us One with that Body whereof Christ is the head For Unity in the Faith is Catholick Unity without which we cannot be Members of the Body of Christ Unity in Worship is Church Unity without which we cannot hold the Communion of Saints and Unity in Mind and Affection is that Unity of Charity without which we violate the Commands and Obligations of the Gospel But if we keep these intire and twist this threefold cord we make it strong and not easie to be broken And when our Faith is One and our Worship uniform and agreeable and our minds conspire in united affections we then wear his Livery whose Coat was seamless the Emblem of Unity not rent by Schism nor torn by Separation then like Brethren we dwell together in Unity and how good and pleasant that is to behold is next to be made out 'T is good and pleasant excellent properties to rerecommend a thing to our love and affections for good is the great Object of our choice And What more endearing than that which is good and pleasant too 't is good that intimates its necessity and usefulness 't is pleasant that implies its delight and comeliness We 'l survey each property distinctly that we may better behold its perfection 1. It s Necessity and Usefulness Of which we need no other Evidence than the strong Enforcements and Obligations which the Gospel lays upon us to Unity and the powerful Arguments wherewith the Apostles of Christ press it upon his Disciples and Followers I instance only in St. Paul and observe in this Argument 1. The strength of his Reasoning 2. The persuasiveness of his Oratory The one is that every thing in our Religion is an Argument to Unity as you have it Eph. 4. 4 5. there is one Body and one Spirit and one Hope of our Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all every thing in our Religion is one and so ought all they to be who are Proselytes to that Religion The other is his powerful Eloquence and persuasive Rhetorick whilst persuading his Philippians to love and amity and perhaps in no Author whatsoever occurs a more pathetick and endearing strain than that in which he wooes and beseeches them to Unity and Uniformity Phil. 2. 1 2 If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind per sanctum amicitiae nomen per chara amoris pignora per mutuò datam fidem these are powerful Charms but far less prevailing Oratory than the Apostle here used to press the Philippians to be of one accord of one mind and no doubt but the great earnestness wherewith the Apostle enforced it proceeded from his sense of the necessity and advantages of it For it is good in all those respects which conduce to the good of Society or the Interest of Mankind good for the publick and for every private man good for them that rule and for them that obey 1. Good for the Publick since it is not only essential to Society but the foundation of all the Priviledges we reap thereby a Society cannot consist without Union and Concord but dissolves into a rout and unruly herd when divided and disunited and there can be neither Order nor Government where there is not mutual agreement as Aristotle observ'd of Thieves and Robbers that they must agree together and be true to one another or else must needs dissolve and cannot hold together For there is no other bond