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church_n apostle_n bishop_n succession_n 9,913 5 9.7671 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A30411 A relation of a conference held about religion at London, the third of April, 1676 by Edw. Stillingfleet ... and Gilbert Burnet, with some gentlemen of the Church of Rome. Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715.; Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. 1676 (1676) Wing B5861; ESTC R14666 108,738 278

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a_o full_a assurance_n as_o we_o ought_v to_o have_v in_o our_o soul_n we_o shall_v neither_o believe_v without_o the_o word_n nor_o speak_v without_o faith_n now_o i_o challenge_v every_o reader_n to_o consider_v if_o any_o thing_n can_v be_v devise_v that_o more_o formal_o and_o more_o nervously-overthrow_n all_o the_o pretence_n bring_v for_o this_o appeal_n to_o the_o express_a word_n of_o scripture_n and_o here_o i_o stop_v for_o though_o i_o can_v carry_v it_o further_o and_o show_v that_o other_o heretic_n shroud_v themselves_o under_o the_o same_o pretext_n yet_o i_o think_v all_o impartial_a reader_n will_v be_v satisfy_v when_o they_o find_v this_o be_v a_o artifice_n of_o the_o first_o four_o grand_a heresy_n condemn_v by_o the_o first_o four_o general_n council_n and_o from_o all_o have_v be_v say_v it_o be_v apparent_a how_o oft_o this_o very_a pretence_n have_v be_v baffle_v by_o universal_a council_n and_o father_n yet_o i_o can_v leave_v this_o with_o the_o reader_n 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no_o good_a from_o they_o these_o and_o such_o like_a thing_n bring_v very_o heavy_a judgement_n and_o plague_n on_o the_o church_n and_o the_o whole_a roman_a empire_n in_o the_o five_o century_n for_o vast_a swarm_n of_o army_n out_o of_o germany_n and_o the_o northern_a nation_n break_v in_o upon_o the_o western_a empire_n and_o by_o a_o long_a succession_n of_o new_a invader_n all_o be_v sack_v and_o ruin_v the_o goth_n be_v follow_v by_o the_o vandal_n the_o alain_n the_o gepide_n the_o frank_n the_o sweve_n the_o huns_n and_o in_o the_o end_n the_o lombard_n those_o nation_n be_v for_o the_o great_a part_n arrian_n but_o all_o be_v barbarous_a and_o rude_a and_o their_o hatred_n of_o the_o faith_n join_v to_o the_o barbarity_n of_o their_o temper_n set_v they_o with_o a_o strange_a fury_n on_o destroy_v the_o most_o sacred_a thing_n and_o to_o that_o we_o owe_v the_o loss_n of_o most_o of_o the_o primitive_a write_n and_o of_o all_o the_o authentical_a record_n of_o the_o first_o 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christ_n and_o follow_v his_o example_n but_o when_o we_o be_v for_o some_o year_n thus_o try_v in_o the_o fire_n then_o do_v god_n again_o bless_v we_o with_o the_o protection_n of_o the_o rightful_a and_o lawful_a magistrate_n then_o do_v our_o church_n do_v as_o the_o primitive_a church_n have_v do_v under_o theodosius_n when_o she_o get_v out_o from_o a_o long_a and_o cruel_a persecution_n of_o the_o arrian_n under_o those_o enrage_a emperor_n constantius_n and_o valens_n they_o reform_v the_o church_n from_o the_o arrian_n doctrine_n but_o will_v not_o imitate_v they_o in_o their_o persecute_v spirit_n and_o when_o other_o have_v too_o deep_a resentment_n of_o the_o ill_a usage_n they_o have_v meet_v with_o under_o the_o arrian_n tyranny_n nazianzen_n and_o the_o other_o holy_a bishop_n of_o that_o time_n do_v mitigate_v their_o animosity_n so_o that_o the_o church_n be_v only_o take_v from_o the_o arrian_n but_o no_o storm_n be_v raise_v against_o they_o so_o in_o the_o begin_n of_o queen_n elizabeth_n reign_n it_o can_v be_v deny_v that_o those_o of_o that_o church_n be_v long_o suffer_v to_o live_v at_o quiet_a among_o we_o with_o little_a or_o no_o disturbance_n save_v that_o the_o church_n be_v take_v out_o of_o their_o hand_n nor_o be_v even_o those_o who_o have_v bathe_v themselves_o in_o so_o much_o blood_n make_v example_n so_o entire_o do_v they_o retain_v the_o meekness_n and_o lenity_n of_o the_o christian_a spirit_n and_o if_o after_o many_o year_n quiet_a those_o of_o that_o religion_n when_o they_o meet_v with_o no_o trouble_n from_o the_o government_n do_v notwithstanding_o enter_v into_o so_o many_o plot_n and_o conspiracy_n against_o the_o queen_n person_n and_o the_o establish_a government_n be_v it_o any_o wonder_n that_o severe_a law_n be_v make_v against_o they_o and_o those_o emissary_n who_o under_o a_o pretence_n of_o come_v in_o a_o mission_n be_v send_v as_o spy_n and_o agent_n among_o we_o to_o fill_v all_o with_o blood_n and_o confusion_n who_o have_v they_o blame_v for_o all_o this_o but_o themselves_o or_o be_v this_o any_o thing_n but_o what_o will_v have_v be_v certain_o do_v in_o the_o gentle_a and_o mild_a government_n upon_o earth_n for_o the_o law_n of_o self-preservation_n be_v engrave_v on_o all_o man_n nature_n and_o so_o no_o wonder_n every_o state_n and_o government_n see_v to_o its_o own_o security_n against_o those_o who_o seek_v its_o ruin_n and_o destruction_n and_o it_o have_v be_v no_o wonder_n if_o upon_o such_o provocation_n there_o have_v be_v some_o severity_n use_v which_o in_o themselves_o be_v unjustifiable_a for_o few_o take_v reparation_n in_o a_o exact_a equality_n to_o the_o damage_n and_o injury_n they_o have_v receive_v but_o since_o that_o time_n they_o have_v have_v very_o little_a cause_n to_o complain_v of_o any_o hard_a treatment_n and_o if_o they_o have_v meet_v with_o any_o they_o may_v still_o thank_v the_o officious_a insolent_a deportment_n of_o some_o of_o their_o own_o church_n that_o have_v give_v just_a cause_n of_o jealousy_n and_o fear_n but_o i_o shall_v pursue_v this_o discourse_n no_o far_o hope_v enough_o be_v already_o say_v upon_o the_o head_n that_o engage_v i_o to_o it_o to_o make_v it_o appear_v that_o it_o be_v possible_a the_o doctrine_n of_o the_o church_n shall_v be_v change_v in_o this_o matter_n and_o that_o it_o be_v true_o change_v from_o which_o i_o may_v be_v well_o allow_v to_o subsume_v that_o our_o church_n discover_v that_o this_o change_n be_v make_v have_v very_o good_a reason_n and_o a_o sufficient_a authority_n to_o reform_v this_o corruption_n and_o restore_v the_o primitive_a doctrine_n again_o and_o now_o be_v to_o leave_v my_o reader_n i_o shall_v only_o desire_v he_o to_o consider_v a_o little_a of_o how_o great_a importance_n his_o eternal_a concern_v be_v and_o that_o he_o have_v no_o reason_n to_o look_v for_o endless_a happiness_n if_o he_o do_v not_o serve_v god_n in_o a_o way_n suitable_a to_o his_o 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