16 September 2015 A.D. Jewel’s “Apology”—dissensions in the churches, yet unity in essentials, pp.63-64


16 September 2015 A.D. Jewel’s “Apology”—dissensions in the churches, yet unity in essentials, pp.63-64
Jewel, John. “The Apology of the Church of England.” Project Gutenberg. 5 Aug 2006. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17678/17678-h/17678-h.htm. Accessed 1 Aug 2015.
They were best, therefore, to go and set peace at home rather among their own selves.  Of a truth, unity and concord doth best become religion: yet is not unity the sure and certain mark whereby to know the Church of God.  For there was the greatest consent that might be amongst them that worshipped the golden calf; and among them which with one voice jointly cried against our Saviour Jesus Christ, “Crucify Him.”  Neither, because the Corinthians were unquieted with private dissensions: or because Paul did square with Peter, or Barnabas with Paul: or, because the Christians, upon the very beginning of the Gospel, were at mutual discord touching some one matter or other, may we therefore think there was no Church of God amongst them.  And as for those persons, whom they upon spite call Zuinglians and Lutherians, in very deed they of both sides be Christians, good friends and brethren.  They vary not betwixt themselves upon the principles and foundations of our religion, nor as touching God, nor Christ, nor the Holy Ghost, nor of the means of justification, nor yet everlasting life, but upon one only question, which is neither weighty nor great: neither mistrust we, or make doubt at all, but they will shortly be agreed.  And if there be any of them which have other opinion than is meet, we doubt not but ere it be long they will put apart all affections and names of parties, and that God will reveal it unto them: so that by better considering and searching out of the matter, as once it came to pass in the Council of Chalcedon, all causes and seeds of dissension shall be thoroughly plucked up by the root, and be buried, and quite forgotten for ever.  Which God grant.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

February 1229 A.D. Council of Toulouse--"We prohibit laymen possessing copies of the Old and New Testament

11 April 1803 A.D. France Offers to Sell Louisiana Territory to the US for $11.250 Million—Napoleon: “The sale assures forever the power of the United States…”

8 May 1559 A.D. Act of Uniformity Passed—Elizabeth 1