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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A57090 The reuniting of Christianity, or, The manner how to rejoin all Christians under one sole confession of faith written in French by a learned Protestant divine ; and now Englished by P.A., Gent. Learned Protestant divine.; P. A., Gent. 1673 (1673) Wing R1187; ESTC R38033 70,964 276

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what can a poor Soul do who has been born in the midst of Italy or Spain where Reigns a most severe Inquisition or in the farthest parts of Denmark or Swedeland where are none but Protestants when he shall learn that there are other People elsewhere in great numbers who are called Christians boasting themselves to have Truth in its greatest Purity and doom all to Eternal Torments who are not of their Opinion Is it not certain that a poor Wretch in this condition not being able to have any commerce nor conference with those of whom he hath been told this will have so much more trouble in his Mind by how much his passion is greater that stirs up in him a desire of his own happiness Which makes us see the necessity of bringing together all Christians under one common Principle And this Principle must contain Maximes easie intelligible and indisputable In a word this Principle must be such that it may produce Peace and Inward comfort and guide all the Faithful by the Practice of Holiness to the enjoyment of an Immortal Crown CHAP. III. The Second Effect of this Division That it destroys the study of Holiness and especially the practice of Charity THe Principal design of the Gospel and I dare say the only one is to bring Men by the knowledg of its Misteries to the study of Virtue and to conduct them by the practice of this Virtue to the enjoyment of Happiness and Glory So that we may say that the sacred Chain of our Salvation hath three Links to wit the knowledg of truths the practice of virtues and the possession of Happiness And if this Salvation be compared to a Building The Revelations of the Gospel may be said to be the Foundation and Basis of it Celestial Glory is the covering and Virtue that which joyns these two extremes together making us pass from the knowledg to the possession of the Object known where all our Felicity resides So that whatever gives any impediment to this knowledge the same obstructs the progress of Virtue and staggers the hope of Felicity The first receives no blow whereof the two others feel not the Impression And this is seen in these Lamentable Divisions which not only cast us into disquiet as hath been said but also in disturbing Mens knowledg they hinder Holiness and pervert the practice of Christian Virtues The principal part wherof consists in the Piety and Zeal which we bring to the service of God And the principal exercise of Piety consists in the Sacred Commerce which the Faithful entertain with their God by Prayer So that whatsoever troubles our Prayer the same brings a notable prejudice to a life of Holiness If then as St. Peter teaches us 1 Pet. 3.7 the idle domestick contentions which arise from the want of Unity between Husband and Wife are capable to interrupt our Prayers and blast the fruit of this saving exercise What shall we say then of the Contentions which divide the Christian Church into so many different Societies How can we expect that our Christian vows should unite together to ascend more readily to our common Father whilst our Opinions and consequently our Inclinations remain so contrary One of the principal means required for our right observing of Holiness is the repose and tranquility of the Soul Sweetness also and moderation are necessary which make us look upon things without any prejudice and the engagement of particular Interests If then as we have plainly shewed this Division throws us into such disquietness and trouble every one may judg how prejudicial it is to the notions of true Piety Is it not certain that if we would employ in the study of Piety and good Works the time which we allow our selves for the examining of all those Questions which divide us We should quickly make great progress in the way which leads to Eternal Life The Emperor Antoninus exhorted those who were desirous to advance in the practice of Moral Virtues to desist from the reading of Books chiefly such as treated of Philosophy as being only a hinderance to their design If said he any should perswade thee to read do thou immediately answer I have no time to busy my head about these things I have a greater and more important affair in hand which requires a Man's whole attendance My business is to tame my passions and to make my self every day a more virtuous Man and to discharge my principal duties May we not in like manner say to these curious Wits who give up themselves intirely to such thorny questions This is not that wherunto ye were called Leave off all these contentions You lose the most precious thing in the World which is your time Rather study to become a true Christian that is to be humble fearing God loving your Neighbour preserving your Body in purity avoiding evil and continually endeavouring to edifie those with whom you converse If Holiness be no other thing than a precious Crown composed of all Christian and Moral Virtues I believe there is none but will grant me that the fairest flower of that Crown is Charity towards our Neighbour which St. Paul calls the bond of perfection Col. 3. Now this Virtue consists in loving our Neighbour as our self Considering that he bears the Characters of the Image of God That we enter both one and the other into the Communion of the same Society and that we are called to be made partakers together of one and the same Inheritance This admirable Virtue is so excellent that some with good reason call it tho Soul of Religion the Fountain of all other Virtues or to speak more properly Virtue it self which takes divers Names according to the diversity of the Subjects whereon it is exercised It is called Piety when it looks up towards Heaven to pay Homage to its Soveraign we call it Charity when enclining towards the Earth it studies to do good to its Fellow-servants In a word it receives the Names of other Virtues as of Temperance of Modesty of Humility c. when it is reflected back upon its self by the Motions of that Legitimate Love which it bears it self Therefore if this Monster of Division be capable to destroy Charity which establishes the Essence of Holiness It is manifest that nothing can be conceived more prejudicial to Virtue than the dis union and alienation of Mens minds And as Charity proposes nothing but Peace Union and Concord For its aim is straitly to tye the knots of a holy amity There can nothing be so diametrically opposite to it as Division which cutting all these knots and breaking these sacred Bonds does divide all that which should be most united To confirm this truth Let us make a parallel of the effects of this Charity which St. Paul thus reckons up 1 Cor. 13. with those which division produces Charity is of a patient spirit division is turbulent and unquiet Charity is kind and bountiful Division only spreads hatred and