Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A57090
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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.
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Learned Protestant divine.; P. A., Gent.
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1673
(1673)
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Wing R1187; ESTC R38033
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70,964
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276
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the rage and fury of contrary Elements but by the negligence of those within her and misunderstanding of her Conductors This Evil is also very communicative 'T is like a Gangrene which never stays in one place but corrupts all the neighbouring parts States and all Bodies Politique are very sensible of the effects of this Division We might say of this evil as of the Leprosie described by Moses that it not only infects Men but the very Towns and Places where they dwell I dare affirm that of Thirty Wars which have happened in Europe within these Hundred and fifty years five and twenty have had the differences of Religion for the occasions of them or at least that they have either been accompanied or followed by some Interests of Religion If any would throw the Apple of Discord into a Nation to trouble it and raise civil Wars at home to the end that Foreiners might have an opportunity of attacking it They need but use means to cause some differences to be moved about the Government of the Church Find some fault with the Ornaments of the Altars Cloath in a different manner those who are to administer Divine Service or introduce some diversity in the Liturgy and in the Publique Prayers This will be sufficient to disturb the Peace of a Nation and absolutely turn it upside down Examples of this are so fresh and so dreadful amongst us that I need not produce them to confirm what I lay before you If we would favour the Rebellion of any Country or back the pretensions of some Usurper 'T is but publishing that the reason why we take up arms in their favour is to give Liberty to weak and tender Consciences and to be instrumental in giving poor distressed Christians a freedom of praying to God Almighty and to perform all the Exercises of Devotion without constraint There is nothing impossible to be effected under this specious pretence There is no manner of excess and violence which on these occasions they do not dress up in the Cloke of Piety and Zeal Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum Moreover there are no sewds to be compared to those which spring from dissenting in Religion And till these cease and an union be made we must never expect to see that the States of Christendom should agree together to resist the common Enemies of their Profession put a stop to their progress Who prevail by means of our Divisions and advance their Conquests by help of our misunderstandings If one only place scituate in an Island which was all Enemies to it were capable to withstand for so long a Time the whole Ottoman Power What would it do if the Armies of all Christians were joyned together to Repress the insolency of an enemy detesting so much the Name of a Christian I am perswaded that he is not victorious but because we do not defend our selves He gains no ground but meerly for want of our Opposition and gives us no wounds but by those gashes which wo give our selves If we would stir by Agreement for the glory of our common Master all those advantages which we promise our selves from the Victories we gain over our Fellow-brethren are not comparable to those which would accrue to us by our Conquests of strangers And let not those Christian Princes whose Territories lye far distant from Constantinople flatter themselves in their own thoughts with the advantage of their scituation For those Frontiers which serve at present for a Bulwark to Christendom being once mastered by the Turks they will easily force a passage into the heart of the most remote Countrys If they but once have a liberty of entering upon our Borders and Confines they will soon strike up an Alarm within the very Bowels of Europe And it is too well known how some of these parts have lately been weakned I wish with all my heart that the Drums and Trumpets of these Infidels may be a means to gather Us once more together and be as a signal to put us in mind of uniting our selves quickly and labouring altogether for our own preservation In the last place this consideration might be added to the precedent ones to make us see the Evil that this Division causes in States Let us suppose that in a Kingdom or any other Christian State those who Govern it should perceive that they have been mistaken in the Opinion which they have held and that seeing they have not the truth on their side they are in danger of losing their Souls I dare affirm that the Nature of this Division is such that it would be almost impossible to procure their own Salvation and the Salvation of those who are under their Authority The Interests of State are so mixed and woven with those of Religion The intrigues and alliances which are made with those of the same communion are so strong that in going about to separate them it would endanger a loss of all As for Example who does not conceive that if a King who is a Roman Catholick should come to believe that the Foundations of his Religion are not sound that as the Protestants alledg they contain certain Principles that are prejudicial to the Salvation of Souls this Prince would not meet with impregnable difficulties to set his Conscience at rest Is it not certain that so soon as he should discover his Thoughts his Subjects would rise up in Rebellion against Him The whole Body of his State would oppose his Designs and his Allies would forsake him to side with that Party that should be against Him The same might be said of Protestant Princes The Politicians who oppose themselves to any change or innovation in Religion of what nature so ever it be who look upon it as a Flame that must be quenched in the instant would render all the endeavours of a Prince unprofitable that should have any such thoughts Therefore by this it is evident that it is the Ground and Interest of all Christian States to endeavour the healing of these Divisions as well for their own subsistence and preservation as for the safety and quiet of the Consciences of those who Govern them THE REVNITING OF CHRISTIANITY PART II. Of the Causes of this Division which is among Christians CHAP. I. That the Frame and Temper of Men's Minds doth much contribute to this Evil. WHatsoever things pass through the Hands of Men they alwayes savour of that quality which is predominant in them As Waters take their Tincture from the Channels through which they run if the Channels be impure the Waters quickly lose that Purity which from the Fountain Head they deriv'd So Christian Doctrine the same which was given us by the Son of God and proposed to us by his Apostles is most pure and most Holy But it has been much abused by the ill qualities of such as have handled it since those blessed Times It hath passed through soul hands which have made it lose much of its Original
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