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Christian Unity (the book) - The Maranatha Community

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are evil in <strong>the</strong>mselves, and <strong>the</strong> cause of great Evils, Hindrances of <strong>the</strong>Gospel, and all <strong>the</strong> Effects <strong>the</strong>reof in <strong>the</strong> Worlds, is acknowledged by all;and it is a thing doubtless to be greatly lamented, that <strong>the</strong> generality of<strong>the</strong>m who are called <strong>Christian</strong>s, are departed from <strong>the</strong> great Rule ofkeeping <strong>the</strong> <strong>Unity</strong> of <strong>the</strong> Spirit in <strong>the</strong> Bond of Peace. He who doth prayalways, who is not ready with his utmost Endeavour to remedy this Evil, toremove this great Obstruction of <strong>the</strong> Benefit of <strong>the</strong> Gospel, is scarce worth<strong>the</strong> Name of a <strong>Christian</strong>.…<strong>The</strong>re is but one way of effecting this so blessed and desirable a Work(unity)… that all Churches endeavour to reduce <strong>the</strong>mselves unto <strong>the</strong>Primitive Pattern. Let us all but consider what was <strong>the</strong> Life and Spirit ofthose Churches, wherein <strong>the</strong>ir Honour, Glory and Order did consist,making it our joynt Design to walk in <strong>the</strong> Principle of that Grace of <strong>the</strong>Spirit wherein <strong>the</strong>y walked, in <strong>the</strong> Exercise and Use of those Gifts of <strong>the</strong>Spirit which were <strong>the</strong> Spring of, and gave Vertue unto all <strong>the</strong>irAdministrations, renouncing whatever is Forreign unto, and inconsistentwith <strong>the</strong>se things, and that Grace and <strong>Unity</strong> will quickly enter intoProfessors, which Christ hath purchased for <strong>the</strong>m. But <strong>the</strong>se things arehere only occasionally mentioned; and are not far<strong>the</strong>r to be pursued.’Anthony Norris Groves – 19 th Century:‘Sectarian exclusiveness and <strong>the</strong> fondness of man to make his ownknowledge <strong>the</strong> measure of ano<strong>the</strong>r man’s liberty, are deeply-rooted, bitterweeds.…It is a mark of apostasy to be of those who separate <strong>the</strong>mselves fromGod’s own redeemed ones.…It is ten times better to have to do with those who are catholic in asectarian system, than those who are sectarian with no system.’J H Merle D’Aubigne – 19 th Century:‘If you have not unity, religion is not of God; if you do not have diversity,religion is not of man.’Page 79

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