"We brag of light, and reformation"
O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord ... - from the Second Collect, for Peace, at Mattins.
We brag of light, and reformation, and fulness of the Spirit: in the mean time we understand not many parts of our duty. We inquire into some thing that may make us talk, or be talked of, or that we may trouble a church, or disturb the peace of minds; but in things that concern holy living, and that wisdom of God whereby we are wise unto salvation, never was any age of Christendom more ignorant than we. For, if we did not wink hard, we must needs see, that obedience to supreme powers, denying of ourselves, humility, peacefulness, and charity, are written in such capital text letters, that it is impossible to be ignorant of them - Jeremy Taylor, Sermon XXXIII, 'Deceitfulness of the Heart'.
This short extract from Taylor captures a key (and attractive) part of the classical Anglican vision, of how we are to live in a manner which secures and serves the peace of the Church and the Commonwealth.
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