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christian_n catholic_n church_n unity_n 2,090 5 9.9512 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A26184 Three letters to Dr. Sherlock concerning church-communion wherein 'tis enquired whether the doctor's notion of church communion be not too narrow and uncharitable, both to dissenters, and men of larger principles / by a lay-man of the Church of England ... Atwood, William, d. 1705?; Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707. 1683 (1683) Wing A4183; ESTC R11681 18,335 41

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a_o man_n have_v a_o right_a to_o be_v of_o a_o particular_a church_n as_o he_o be_v a_o christian_n that_o be_v i_o shall_v think_v a_o true_a member_n of_o the_o catholic_n church_n or_o become_v a_o christian_n only_o as_o receive_v into_o a_o particular_a church_n i_o take_v it_o infant_n be_v receive_v with_o we_o by_o virtue_n of_o the_o federal_a right_n in_o the_o parent_n and_o as_o the_o apostle_n say_v the_o believe_a wife_n sanctify_v the_o unbelieving_a husband_n else_o be_v the_o child_n unclean_a nor_o i_o conceive_v do_v our_o church_n receive_v any_o adult_n person_n who_o it_o do_v not_o believe_v to_o be_v a_o true_a christian_a before_o but_o to_o make_v your_o fallacy_n the_o more_o evident_a you_o tell_v we_o the_o divine_a spirit_n confine_v his_o influence_n and_o operation_n to_o the_o unity_n of_o the_o church_n 48._o as_o the_o same_o apostle_n tell_v we_o that_o there_o be_v but_o one_o body_n and_o one_o spirit_n which_o plain_o signify_v that_o the_o 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discipline_n which_o they_o can_v have_v according_a to_o the_o best_a of_o their_o understanding_n and_o mean_n 4._o whether_o when_o schism_n be_v in_o the_o 25_o verse_n use_v in_o opposition_n to_o have_v the_o same_o care_n for_o one_o another_o it_o do_v not_o show_v that_o schism_n consist_v not_o in_o the_o divide_v communion_n through_o difference_n of_o opinion_n but_o through_o want_n of_o charity_n and_o that_o care_v which_o christian_n in_o the_o same_o neighbourhood_n ought_v to_o have_v of_o each_o other_o after_o all_o that_o i_o have_v offer_v to_o your_o consideration_n i_o must_v own_o that_o these_o be_v the_o sudden_a thought_n of_o one_o who_o believe_v he_o may_v be_v save_v without_o understand_v the_o notion_n of_o church-government_n as_o it_o be_v intreague_v between_o clergyman_n of_o all_o side_n and_o believe_v the_o church_n of_o england_n to_o be_v a_o true_a church_n notwithstanding_o it_o and_o the_o romish_a may_v former_o have_v be_v antichristian_a jovian_a though_o a_o learned_a london_n minister_n pretend_v not_o to_o understand_v how_o then_o this_o shall_v come_v to_o be_v true_a jan._n 30._o 168._o the_o second_o letter_n sir_n not_o doubt_v your_o candour_n and_o integrity_n i_o go_v to_o church_n this_o day_n with_o full_a expectation_n of_o your_o attempt_n at_o least_o to_o clear_v your_o way_n from_o the_o objection_n i_o have_v send_v you_o before_o you_o expatiate_v upon_o your_o as_o i_o may_v call_v it_o uncharitable_a hypothesis_n sure_o every_o thing_n which_o i_o urge_v be_v not_o to_o be_v contemn_v but_o i_o must_v needs_o say_v i_o can_v not_o meet_v with_o one_o passage_n in_o your_o last_o sermon_n which_o look_v like_o so_o much_o as_o a_o offer_n towards_o my_o satisfaction_n wherefore_o i_o conjure_v you_o as_o a_o protestant_a divine_a to_o answer_v my_o doubt_n categorical_o for_o which_o end_n i_o hope_v you_o will_v not_o refer_v i_o to_o what_o mr._n d_o or_o any_o profess_a papist_n
have_v write_v on_o this_o subject_a unless_o you_o will_v avow_v all_o that_o they_o have_v say_v on_o the_o necessity_n of_o the_o intention_n of_o the_o priest_n to_o concur_v with_o his_o act_n or_o otherwise_o your_o last_o discourse_n occasion_n only_o my_o add_v this_o far_a query_n whether_o if_o the_o nature_n of_o catholic_n communion_n require_v a_o readiness_n to_o communicate_v with_o any_o sound_a church_n and_o yet_o a_o church_n oblige_v we_o to_o communicate_v with_o that_o alone_a while_o distance_n do_v not_o hinder_v the_o occasional_a and_o frequent_a communion_n with_o other_o be_v not_o that_o church_n guilty_a of_o schism_n in_o such_o a_o injunction_n contrary_a to_o the_o nature_n of_o catholic_n communion_n or_o at_o least_o be_v it_o not_o impossible_a that_o he_o who_o communicate_v sometime_o with_o one_o true_a church_n sometime_o with_o another_o can_v be_v a_o schismatic_a or_o any_o more_o than_o a_o offender_n against_o a_o positive_a humane_a law_n be_v please_v to_o send_v i_o your_o thought_n upon_o the_o particular_n of_o my_o enquiry_n to_o etc._n etc._n direct_v to_o sir_n your_o servant_n anonymus_fw-la feb._n 4._o 1682_o 3._o the_o three_o letter_n feb._n 19_o 1682_o 3._o sir_n since_o it_o be_v more_o than_o probable_a that_o i_o have_v occasion_v the_o speedy_a print_n of_o your_o discourse_n concern_v church-communion_n i_o be_o now_o become_v a_o debtor_n to_o the_o church_n of_o god_n 16._o to_o publish_v those_o objection_n which_o arise_v in_o my_o mind_n and_o which_o you_o have_v not_o yet_o think_v fit_a to_o answer_v though_o earnest_o press_v thereunto_o and_o methinks_v you_o who_o have_v heretofore_o be_v a_o zealous_a patron_n for_o universal_a grace_n shall_v be_v very_o ready_a to_o clear_v yourself_o from_o the_o least_o imputation_n of_o stint_v it_o more_o than_o our_o most_o gracious_a god_n nay_o than_o your_o most_o narrow_a principled_a adversary_n have_v ever_o do_v though_o he_o who_o question_n the_o dictate_v of_o his_o spiritual_a guide_v have_v need_n run_v to_o the_o protection_n of_o obscurity_n yet_o one_o will_v think_v that_o he_o who_o print_v in_o the_o dark_a what_o he_o publish_v on_o the_o house_n top_n before_o the_o face_n of_o the_o congregation_n bring_v a_o foul_a suspicion_n upon_o his_o doctrine_n it_o be_v well_o know_v that_o the_o pulpit_n be_v more_o license_v from_o contradiction_n than_o the_o press_n wherefore_o the_o former_a be_v most_o proper_o assign_v for_o a_o clergyman_n recantation_n nor_o indeed_o do_v i_o think_v you_o far_o from_o make_v public_a satisfaction_n when_o you_o own_a in_o your_o sermon_n preach_v feb._n 11._o on_o luke_n 12._o vers_fw-la 4_o 5._o that_o the_o censure_n of_o the_o church_n be_v formidable_a only_a when_o due_o apply_v and_o that_o god_n almighty_n have_v not_o trust_v fallible_a man_n with_o a_o power_n of_o shut_v out_o those_o who_o he_o will_v receive_v keep_v to_o this_o and_o make_v good_a your_o notion_n of_o schism_n if_o you_o can_v 49._o if_o schism_n be_v as_o you_o say_v a_o very_a great_a sin_n and_o such_o as_o will_v damn_v we_o as_o soon_o as_o adultery_n and_o murder_n god_n forbid_v that_o it_o shall_v consist_v in_o such_o ticklish_a point_n as_o will_v place_v many_o thousand_o of_o true_o charitable_a and_o pious_a man_n within_o the_o fatal_a roll._n but_o to_o my_o think_n while_o you_o blame_v man_n for_o have_v no_o notion_n at_o all_o of_o a_o church_n or_o no_o notion_n of_o one_o church_n 50._o and_o that_o they_o know_v not_o wherein_o the_o unity_n and_o communion_n of_o this_o church_n consist_v you_o remove_v their_o gild_n and_o grant_v that_o their_o schism_n be_v involuntary_a and_o only_o a_o error_n of_o their_o understanding_n alas_o mistake_v honest_a man_n how_o unhappy_a be_v your_o condition_n who_o must_v be_v damn_v for_o not_o understand_v dr._n sherlock_n when_o he_o fancy_n that_o he_o put_v matter_n past_o all_o doubt_n though_o other_o may_v think_v he_o only_a amuse_n people_n with_o equivocal_a word_n and_o term_n i_o beg_v of_o you_o to_o consider_v whether_o you_o do_v not_o impose_v upon_o yourself_o or_o will_v not_o upon_o other_o by_o a_o confuse_a notion_n of_o the_o church_n and_o of_o separation_n from_o it_o wherein_o you_o make_v schism_n to_o consist_v great_a be_v diana_n of_o the_o ephesian_n and_o great_a be_v the_o use_n of_o the_o word_n church_n when_o good_a crafts-master_n have_v the_o handle_n of_o it_o and_o of_o all_o man_n those_o of_o rome_n have_v succeed_v best_a at_o this_o play_n of_o word_n by_o the_o use_v it_o indefinite_o as_o you_o do_v the_o pope_n keep_v the_o keus_n of_o heaven_n and_o hell_n at_o his_o girdle_n and_o true_o this_o in_o some_o case_n comprehend_v thing_n as_o different_a as_o heaven_n and_o hell_n be_v such_o as_o shall_v be_v save_v and_o such_o as_o be_v already_o under_o the_o dominion_n of_o satan_n if_o you_o use_v it_o for_o several_a purpose_n i_o hope_v for_o the_o future_a you_o will_v define_v what_o you_o mean_v by_o the_o church_n when_o you_o be_v to_o consider_v it_o as_o catholic_n and_o universal_a what_o when_o you_o take_v it_o in_o a_o more_o restrain_a sense_n otherwise_o you_o speak_v not_o like_o a_o minister_n of_o the_o gospel_n but_o as_o one_o that_o will_v pervert_v that_o use_n of_o word_n which_o in_o you_o especial_o god_n almighty_a design_v for_o instruct_v we_o candid_o in_o the_o truth_n indeed_o you_o may_v play_v a_o little_a more_o secure_o with_o the_o word_n schism_n because_o unless_o it_o be_v take_v to_o lie_v whole_o in_o want_n of_o charity_n people_n may_v not_o so_o well_o understand_v what_o it_o be_v how_o distinct_o soever_o the_o notion_n of_o church_n be_v teach_v they_o sure_o it_o be_v much_o a_o question_n whether_o it_o lie_v whole_o in_o causeless_a separation_n from_o a_o sound_a part_n of_o the_o catholic_n church_n to_o my_o think_n st._n paul_n when_o he_o speak_v of_o it_o suppose_v a_o continuance_n still_o of_o the_o same_o body_n and_o ascribe_v it_o to_o christian_n continue_v such_o nay_o and_o communicate_v with_o each_o other_o thus_o write_v to_o the_o corinthian_n of_o who_o he_o say_v you_o be_v the_o body_n of_o christ_n 12._o and_o member_n in_o particular_a he_o tell_v you_o to_o this_o effect_n that_o there_o be_v but_o one_o spirit_n which_o communicate_v itself_o among_o they_o in_o various_a dispensation_n and_o enable_v they_o according_a to_o their_o different_a capacity_n and_o attainment_n to_o promote_v each_o other_o growth_n in_o grace_n and_o then_o have_v compare_v they_o to_o the_o several_a part_n of_o a_o natural_a body_n 24._o god_n say_v he_o have_v temper_v the_o body_n together_o have_v give_v more_o abundant_a honour_n to_o that_o part_n which_o lack_v that_o there_o shall_v be_v no_o schism_n in_o the_o body_n 25._o but_o that_o the_o member_n shall_v have_v the_o same_o care_n for_o one_o another_o which_o seem_v no_o more_o than_o that_o god_n oblige_v the_o member_n of_o his_o church_n to_o live_v together_o charitable_o and_o to_o be_v ready_a to_o assist_v each_o other_o from_o the_o consideration_n of_o the_o distribution_n of_o his_o gift_n and_o grace_n in_o such_o manner_n that_o even_o the_o mean_a and_o most_o despise_a christian_n may_v administer_v aid_n and_o comfort_n to_o those_o that_o be_v in_o the_o high_a station_n but_o all_o this_o be_v write_v to_o the_o church_n at_o corinth_n 14._o that_o body_n of_o christ_n there_o which_o assemble_v together_o in_o the_o same_o place_n 3_o and_o yet_o the_o apostle_n charge_v they_o with_o real_a schism_n for_o say_v he_o whereas_o there_o be_v among_o you_o envy_v and_o strife_n and_o division_n be_v you_o not_o carnal_a and_o walk_v as_o man_n but_o from_o the_o apostle_n notion_n of_o schism_n i_o shall_v come_v to_o you_o as_o you_o have_v jumble_v it_o together_o with_o the_o equivocal_a word_n church_n of_o which_o you_o will_v make_v one_o 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