A55307:67
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must…The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must…
The Samaritan showing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oil that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.The Samaritan shewing that many and unnecessary impositions are not the oyl that must heal the church together with the way or means to do it / by a country gentleman who goes to common-prayer and not to meetings.
London: printed for Tho. Simmons, 1682
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.
That Christians will agree in the great Essentials of Christian Religion, is apparent; for they do so, Greeks and Romans, with all the several Subdivisions that are among them, do consent in ⟨p. 33⟩one Common Creed, Rule of Life, and Compendium of Prayer and Devotion; all Protestants, Calvinists, Lutherans, and Arminians, or by whatever other title they may be known or called, consent with them in the great Agenda, Credenda, & Petenda in Religion. In these things there is no diversity among them; those things are so obvious in the Scripture, and many of them in the Light of Nature, and by the Providence of God have been so superintended, that in the greatest defections of the Church, and Apostasy of Christians, the knowledge and belief of them hath been preserved and continued amongst all.
That Christians will agree in the great Essentials of Christian Religion, is apparent; for they do so, Greeks and Romans, with all the several Subdivisions that are among them, do consent in ⟨p. 33⟩one Common Creed, Rule of Life, and Compedium of Prayer and Devotion; all Protestants, Calvinists, Lutherans, and Arminians, or by whatever other title they may be known or called, consent with them in the great Agenda, Credenda, & Petenda in Religion. In these things there is no diversity among them; those things are so obvious in the Scripture, and many of them in the Light of Nature, and by the Providence of God have been so superintended, that in the greatest defections of the Church, and Apostacy of Christians, the knowledge and belief of them hath been preserved and continued amongst all.
Yea I am past doubt, that if only these things were made the Conditions of Communion among Christians, with Liberty of Difference in other things, and some variety of practices in particular Churches, more Unity, Peace and Love would thereby be produced, and Knowledge, Piety and Godliness be more advanced than by any other means in the world. In the days of the Apostles, and in some Ages after them, persons were admitted into the Christian Church, upon their belief and consent to these few plain things; yea upon a bare consent to the Contents of the Baptismal Covenant; and whilst they continued that Consent and Faith, they were continued in the Communion of Christians; and I do not yet understand why men may not be Christians, and partake in the Communion of Christians upon the same terms now as then; I think the Apostles