CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Name: CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
Author: Anthony Burgess

CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...

Anthony Burgess d. 1664London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656

[31], 672 [i.e. 702], [24] p. · 465k words · Wing B5651 · ESTC R13734

Title page typeset from the transcription.

Sermon 113: Of Unity among Christians, the Benefits and Necessity of it: And the mischief of Division.Sermon 113: Of Ʋnity among Christians, the Benefits and Necessity of it: And the mischief of Division.

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.

[ Earlier:2766–2781 of 3,471

:2766p. 567

Fifthly, Unity amongst the godly is so necessary, ¹that therefore God many times suffereth sad and heavy persecutions to befall them, that thereby their discords and divisions may be removed, and they be more endeared to one another. Times of prosperity in the Church made the greatest heresies and schisms, but the times of bloody persecution made the godly more united. Thus the Martyrs, some of them in Queen Mary's days, did bewail their differences and contests they had formerly one with another, but the prison and persecution made them highly prize one another. Josephs brethren in their plenty envied and fell out with one another, but in their distress they were glad to cleave together. The sheep that were scattered one from another, when a sudden storm ariseth, makes them all company together: It may be though the godly are so censorious, so shy, so strange to one another. God may in time work so, that they may be glad to enjoy one another, glad to have the communion of each other; one godly mans company may be more then the gold of Ophir; and therefore if love and godliness do not unite you, take heed God doth not make some outward trouble and affliction to put you together; If you do not embrace one another willingly, he may bind you in his chains together. That promise to Judah and Israel, of making those two sticks one, was after the cruel enmity and opposition which had been amongst them.

Fifthly, Ʋnity amongst the godly is so necessary, ¹that therefore God many times suffereth sad and heavy persecutions to befall them, that thereby their discords and divisions may be removed, and they be more endeared to one another. Times of prosperity in the Church made the greatest heresies and schisms, but the times of bloudy persecution made the godly more united. Thus the Martyrs, some of them in Queen Maries dayes, did bewail their differences and contests they had formerly one with another, but the prison and persecution made them highly prize one another. Josephs brethren in their plenty envied and fell out with one another, but in their distresse they were glad to cleave together. The sheep that were scattered one from another, when a sudden storm ariseth, makes them all company together: It may be though the godly are so censorious, so shie, so strange to one another. God may in time work so, that they may be glad to enjoy one another, glad to have the communion of each other; one godly mans company may be more then the gold of Ophir; and therefore if love and godlinesse do not unite you, take heed God doth not make some outward trouble and affliction to put you together; If you do not imbrace one another willingly, he may binde you in his chains together. That promise to Judah and Israel, of making those two sticks one, was after the cruel enmity and opposition which had been amongst them.

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CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

SERMON CXIV. Of Unity among the Godly, More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it, and mischiefs of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ prayed for it, How comes it to pass that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.

SERMON CXIV. Of Ʋnity among the Godly, More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it, and mischiefs of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ praied for it, How comes it to passe that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

SERMON CXIV. Of Unity among the Godly, More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it, and mischiefs of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ prayed for it, How comes it to pass that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.

SERMON CXIV. Of Ʋnity among the Godly, More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it, and mischiefs of Division; Answering this Objection, viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way, and Christ praied for it, How comes it to passe that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly.