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B02681
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A dialogue between two Church of England-men concerning maters [sic] of religion, as set forth in the pulpit.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing D1339A; ESTC R174556
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5,148
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12
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my Life my Judgment and my Conversation But Four Years were not well over when I discover'd my mistake and found that all was not Gospel which I had taken for Gospel Will. Let not this be told in Gath nor mention'd in the streets of Ascalon Pray what do you mean Is it not the Gospel then we hear from the Pulpits Fran. The Text is out of the Gospel but for what follows it depends upon the Preacher and requires the Consideration of the Auditory before it be trusted You know we are often advis'd from the Chair Not to go Blindfold nor take things upon Trust and this as I find they intend should be understood of their Sermons as well as of other things that are propos'd to us However one thing I have observ'd in the perusal of my Collection that when Preachers in their Sermons treat of Morality directing their Flock to the Observance of a Good Life teaching them to love their Neighbour to be at Peace with all men to Forgive Injuries to be Merciful Patient Humble and Sincere to do no wrong c. In this case besides their Text being Gospel the Word of God generally spreads it self throughout their whole Sermon and they are to be heark'ned to like to an Angel of God. But when you hear them begin to talk aloud of Parties and People of Papists Jesuits Dissenters Plots and Designs when you hear them usher in a Discourse with There are a sort of People in the World c. Then stand upon your Guard for at this time they begin generally to leave the Gospel the Auditory is to consider and believe them as far as they think fit but for their Bibles they may put them up in their Pockets there being nothing of all this to be found there Will. This is a good Observation and I hope will secure me against all Relapses For now when I go to Church I shall know when to believe and when to suspend all belief I shall be able to distinguish what is to sink into the Heart from what is to pass no farther than the Ear. Hitherto I confess I have been so Inconsiderate as to take all for Gospel that I heard from the Pulpit and this has been unhappily the occasion of my Misfortune and Trouble it has fill'd me with Fears and Jealousies and made my Life uneasie And indeed I could not well avoid this mistake seeing that I scarce ever heard any Parson whether upon a Moral Subject or upon Plots and Jesuits but he seem'd to read all alike out of his Bible Fran. Yes but you are to consider the difference between the Pulpit-Bible and the Pue-Bibles Those which the People have in their hands contain nothing but the Pure Word of God without any Addition But those which you see held forth from the Pulpits have a great deal more in them than ever was writ by the Evangelists or others of the Sacred Pen-men They have Notes in them of every mans own writing Could you ever imagine that all that you have heard in Sermons of the Popish Plot was writ or known by the Apostles Will. How could I tell but They being favour'd with the Spirit of Prophecy might foresee what was to come in our days and by some hint or Mystic Expressions give directions to our Preachers how to behave themselves when such things should happen And if I am not much mistaken I have heard it prov'd in a Sermon that Oats and Bedloe were foretold by the Scripture and that any one that had but a competent Spirit of Interpretation might easily discover that These were the Two Witnesses mention'd in the Apocalypse Fran. I can't tell but it might be in some of the Minsters Bibles at that time but I question whether it be there now For as I told you Their Word of God is not always the same it changes and alters according to Times and Seasons especially when the Subject is Plotting But as for the Peoples Bible I dare be bound 't was never in any of them Did you ever find it in yours Will. I took always the Preacher's word for it that 't was Authentic Scripture but I confess I could never read it so in mine There might be so much difference in the Edition as there is in other prophane Books for all as I know But indeed one thing I have all along observ'd which hits very well with your Remark that whilst the Ministers are discoursing upon Morality and a Good life the People sit very Serious and Demure but something Dull as if they were hearing a Repetition of what they had often read themselves in their own Books but still with their Bibles in their hands But when the Ministers turn from that Subject and enter upon Jesuits or Phanatics or upon Plots then the People begin to perk up themselves to stand up Brisk and Attentive lay aside their Books as if what they were then hearing were something New such as if they did not make it their own whilst 't was dropping from the Pulpit might be lost and could no where be found in their Bibles at their return home Fran. You are in the right on 't for there 's nothing of all this to be found in the Bible Nay many times 't is so far from being the Word of God that it has no relation to it but is built on no better Foundation than a Narrative of some Knight of the Post a Popular Rumor or some Uncertain History Will. What! And yet pass for a Sermon Fran. For a Sermon I 'll warrant you I can shew you hundreds of Sermons that have been preach'd before the Gravest Assemblies in the Nation and influenc'd them in as good earnest as if the Holy Ghost had been the Mover and yet had no better Text to prove what they deliver'd than the Word of Villanous Man Will. You confound me quite What the Word of Men deliver'd for the Word of God and of Villanous Men too Fran. Yes of Perjur'd Villains of Miscreants So that I can name you several Eminent Men after they have taken their Text as they must do out of the Bible fall presently to their Dividing Expounding Proving and Application and in these follow so closely Oats and Bedloe that a Man would take These Doctors for the only Commentators upon the Text. And I believe it must be These Sermons that have fill'd your Head thus with Stakes and Faggots Will. I doubt not but these have been greatly the Occasion of my Distemper But You are my Physician and I hope you have pretty well cur'd me However I think I had best stay from Church Three or Four Sundays for fear if I should go there and hear again a Noise of Popery I might be surpris'd and take all for Scripture that 's deliver'd with the Bible in hand and so my Distemper should return upon me People that are newly recover'd ought not to be too venturesome What think you Fran. Never fear Remember but the Directions I have given you and go upon my account If you are the worse for 't I 'll undertake to cure you for nothing I have only apply'd to you a General Remedy as yet and you are the better for 't But I have other Particular Receits far beyond all you have had hitherto Will. Well I 'll observe your Directions but if I hear any thing there and am the worse for 't you shall be sure to hear of me again FINIS