A27054:226
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.
§. 4. I. The Churches Unity of Spirit doth fortify and fit it for all its own offices in order to the conversion of the world: All parts are better qualified for the work, by that Wisdom, Goodness and Life which they must work by: And each member partaketh of the common strength which their Unity causeth. An united Army is likest to be victorious: Their routing is their flight and overthrow: And the Army or Kingdom that is Mutinous or in Civil Wars, or not unanimous, is unfit to enlarge dominion, and conquer others: They will have wor• enough at home.
§. 4. I. The Churches Vnity of Spirit doth fortifie and fit it for all its own offices in order to the conversion of the world: All parts are better qualified for the work, by that Wisdom, Goodness and Life which they must work by: And each member partaketh of the common strength which their Unity causeth. An united Army is likest to be victorious: Their routing is their flight and overthrow: And the Army or Kingdom that is Mutinous or in Civil Wars, or not unanimous, is unfit to enlarge dominion, and conquer others: They will have wor• enough at home.
§. 5. Were but Christian Princes and people united, as they would be a terror to Turkish and other Infidel Oppressors (and in likelihood easily able to vanquish them) so they might easily contribute their endeavours to instruct and convince these Infidels with probability of greater success, than any attempts have yet had upon them. They might with greater advantage send out and maintain men of Learning and other fitness to perform it. The ⟨p. 69⟩Eastern Christians by divisions were broken off from the Greeks: The Greeks by division (and wickedness) fell into the hands of the Turks: The divisions of the Western Nations furthered their Conquest, and hindered the Greeks recovery: The divisions of the Military forces lost Palestine and frustrated their vast labours and expenses: Lost also Armenian aids, and destroyed the hopeful beginnings of the Conversion of the Tartarians. The division of Christian Princes, hath set up the Papal Kingdom as the Umpire of their feuds. That which hath done so much to destroy Churches and Kingdoms, and hath murdered many hundred thousand Christians, and gone far towards the extirpating of true Christianity out of much of the (formerly Christian) World, must needs unfit us all to recover the World, and convert unbelievers.