A27054:194
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…
The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness of it, and the detection of false dividing terms / opened by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for John Hancock, 1680
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
II. UNITY is the health, ease and quiet of the Church and all Societies, as well as of each person: And Division is its smart and pain: And a divided disagreeing Society is a wounded or sick Society; in continual suffering and disease: But how easy, sweet, and pleasant is it, when brethren dwell together in Unity? when they are not of many minds, and wills and ways; when they strive not against each other, and live not in wrangling and contention, when they have not their cross interests, wills and parties, and envy not or grudge not against each other: But every one taketh the common interest to be his own; and smarteth in all his brethren's sufferings and hurts: when they speak the same things, and mind the same interest, and carry on the same ends and work?
II. UNITY is the health, ease and quiet of the Church and all Societies, as well as of each person: And Division is its smart and pain: And a divided disagreeing Society is a wounded or sick Society; in continual suffering and disease: But how easie, sweet, and pleasant is it, when brethren dwell together in Unity? when they are not of many minds, and wills and wayes; when they strive not against each other, and live not in wrangling and contention, when they have not their cross interests, wills and parties, and envy not or grudge not against each other: But every one taketh the common interest to be his own; and smarteth in all his brethrens sufferings and hurts: when they speak the same things, and mind the same interest, and carry on the same ends and work?
O felix hominum genus Si vestros animos Amor Quo coelum regitur, regat, saith Boethius.
O foelix hominum genus Si vestros animos Amor Quo coelum regitur, regat, saith Boetius.
Many contrivances good men have had, for the recovering of the peace and felicity of Societies: And they that despaired of accomplishing it, have pleased themselves with feigning such Societies as they thought most happy: whence we have Plato's Common-wealth, Moor's Utopia, Campanella's Civitas solis, &c. But when all is done, he is the wisest and happiest Politician, and the best friend and benefactor to Societies and to mankind, who is the skilfullest contriver, and best promoter of UNITING LOVE. I know that this is (like Life in man) a work that requireth more than Art: But yet I will not say hoc non est artis, sed pietatis opus, as if art did nothing in it: It is Gods work