A27054:195
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.
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 ⟨p. 48⟩blessing mans endeavours. Even in the propagation of natural Life, though Deus & sol vivificant, God is the Quickener, and Fountain of all life; yet man is the Generator (even if it prove true that the soul is created): And God will not do it without the act of man: So God will not bless Churches, and Kingdoms and Families, with Uniting-Love, without the subordinate endeavours of man: And the skill and honesty of the endeavourers greatly conduceth to the success of the work: Men that stand in a significant capacity (as Rulers and public Teachers do) may do much by holy Art to promote Uniting-Love in all Societies; By contriving an Uniting of Interests, (and not by cudgelling them all into the same Temples or Synagogues as prisoners into a Jail); and by diligent clear teaching them the excellency and necessity of Unity and Love, and mischiefs of dividing selfishness: But of this more after in due place. All the devices in the world for the felicity of Societies which tend not unto Unity, and all ways of Unity which promote not Love, are erroneous and merely frivolous: And all that are Contrary to Love are pernicious, whatever the contrivers pretend or dream.