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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A60455 A sermon preached in St. Saviour's Church in Dartmouth, July 24th. anno Dom. 1698 Together with some refections on the opinion of those, who affirm, that the only difference between the Church and the meeting-house, is that of a few ceremonies. In a letter to a friend. By Humfry Smith, M.A. Smith, Humphry, b. 1654 or 5. 1698 (1698) Wing S4086; ESTC R224030 30,983 72

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a_o sermon_n preach_v in_o st._n saviour_n church_n in_o dartmouth_n july_n 24_o anno_fw-la dom._n 1698._o together_o with_o some_o reflection_n on_o the_o opinion_n of_o those_o who_o affirm_v that_o the_o only_a difference_n between_o the_o church_n and_o the_o meetinghouse_n be_v that_o of_o a_o few_o ceremony_n in_o a_o letter_n to_o a_o friend_n by_o humphrey_n smith_n m._n a._n exon_n print_v by_o sam._n darker_n and_o sam._n farley_n for_o charles_n yeo_n john_n pearce_n and_o philip_n bishop_n 1698._o advertisement_n to_o the_o reader_n the_o author_n have_v commit_v these_o discourse_n to_o my_o disposal_n i_o think_v the_o print_n of_o they_o will_v do_v right_a to_o he_o and_o no_o small_a service_n to_o the_o public_a robert_n burscough_n to_o mr._n robert_n burscough_n sir_n i_o now_o send_v you_o that_o which_o have_v make_v so_o much_o noise_n and_o undergo_v so_o much_o censure_n among_o some_o in_o this_o place_n namely_o what_o i_o preach_v both_o in_o the_o morning_n 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piety_n of_o our_o first_o reformer_n in_o retain_v those_o ancient_a form_n in_o our_o public_a service_n the_o late_a growth_n of_o heresy_n among_o we_o make_v we_o too_o sensible_a of_o what_o consequence_n it_o be_v to_o keep_v up_o the_o fence_n against_o it_o in_o a_o age_n so_o fruitful_a of_o monstrous_a opinion_n if_o the_o people_n know_v nothing_o beforehand_o of_o the_o prayer_n and_o praise_n they_o be_v to_o join_v in_o they_o can_v be_v certain_a whether_o they_o shall_v offer_v up_o a_o service_n leven_v with_o arrianism_n or_o socinianism_n or_o some_o other_o abomination_n destructive_a of_o the_o common_a principle_n of_o christianity_n but_o as_o they_o appear_v in_o god_n presence_n to_o speak_v unto_o he_o in_o the_o voice_n of_o his_o church_n as_o they_o be_v sure_a to_o keep_v to_o the_o same_o form_n of_o sound_a word_n which_o have_v be_v make_v use_n of_o to_o express_v the_o true_a faith_n by_o the_o most_o glorious_a defender_n of_o it_o in_o ancient_a 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equal_o oblige_v under_o the_o gospel_n appear_v from_o st._n paul_n exhortation_n not_o only_o to_o glorify_v god_n in_o ●0_n 1_o cor._n 6._o ●0_n our_o spirit_n but_o our_o body_n too_o in_o conformity_n to_o these_o and_o several_a other_o place_n of_o scripture_n our_o church_n have_v provide_v excellent_a form_n of_o devotion_n direct_v and_o require_v in_o the_o use_n of_o they_o such_o external_a act_n as_o do_v proper_o express_v our_o inward_a adoration_n but_o that_o the_o dissenter_n have_v very_o little_a respect_n for_o these_o agreeable_a yea_o these_o necessary_a thing_n be_v not_o to_o be_v deny_v i_o think_v by_o such_o as_o frequent_v their_o assembly_n certain_o when_o they_o be_v occasional_o present_a with_o we_o as_o we_o serve_v the_o lord_n they_o for_o the_o most_o part_n seem_v not_o at_o all_o concern_v to_o fall_v down_o on_o their_o knee_n to_o pray_v to_o he_o or_o to_o stand_v up_o to_o praise_n he_o the_o excuse_v perhaps_o be_v that_o if_o we_o 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awful_a sense_n of_o the_o supreme_a be_v whilst_o they_o have_v bow_v down_o to_o image_n if_o bow_v and_o kneel_v or_o the_o like_a external_a expression_n of_o our_o inward_a devotion_n be_v not_o due_a to_o the_o almighty_a how_o do_v people_n rob_v he_o of_o his_o honour_n in_o bestow_v they_o upon_o other_o thing_n such_o a_o opinion_n as_o this_o can_v it_o have_v be_v depend_v on_o may_v have_v be_v of_o admirable_a use_n to_o the_o primitive_a christian_n under_o the_o rage_n of_o the_o heathen_a for_o then_o according_a to_o the_o temptation_n of_o some_o of_o their_o persecutor_n when_o they_o appear_v in_o a_o good_a humour_n the_o champion_n of_o the_o faith_n may_v have_v escape_v the_o axe_n and_o the_o gibbet_n the_o gridiron_n and_o the_o saw_n by_o do_v a_o very_a small_a matter_n even_o the_o give_v but_o a_o little_a of_o that_o sort_n of_o honour_n to_o a_o idol_n which_o god_n neither_o claim_n nor_o have_v any_o regard_n for_o i_o may_v give_v some_o other_o 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that_o shall_v be_v employ_v about_o it_o to_o such_o correction_n as_o that_o in_o the_o prophet_n they_o have_v heal_v the_o hurt_n 14._o jer._n 6._o 14._o of_o the_o daughter_n of_o my_o people_n slight_o say_v peace_n peace_n when_o there_o be_v no_o peace_n certain_o a_o solid_a and_o last_a union_n can_v never_o be_v hope_v for_o till_o people_n will_v be_v willing_a serious_o and_o impartial_o to_o consider_v wherein_o the_o difference_n lie_v and_o who_o make_v it_o notwithstanding_o the_o hard_a censure_n which_o some_o have_v so_o liberal_o pass_v on_o the_o stiffness_n of_o our_o church_n it_o have_v not_o be_v backward_o to_o encourage_v any_o real_a advance_n 〈◊〉_d towards_o a_o good_a agreement_n but_o it_o be_v doubtless_o able_a to_o distinguish_v between_o true_a moderation_n or_o peaceableness_n and_o such_o artifices_fw-la as_o be_v make_v use_n of_o on_o purpose_n to_o betray_v it_o for_o my_o part_n as_o you_o know_v sir_n that_o i_o be_v always_o very_o far_o from_o envy_v any_o favour_n which_o our_o governor_n think_v fit_a to_o show_v to_o those_o dissenter_n who_o approve_v themselves_o to_o be_v true_o conscientious_a so_o if_o ever_o they_o shall_v begin_v to_o shake_v off_o their_o scruple_n and_o make_v approach_n towards_o we_o i_o can_v hearty_o wish_v they_o may_v be_v receive_v with_o all_o possible_a expression_n of_o kindness_n and_o condescension_n but_o then_o i_o must_v own_v that_o the_o man_n of_o design_n and_o intrigue_n they_o that_o sometime_o blow_v cold_a and_o sometime_o hot_a that_o sometime_o consider_v we_o as_o if_o we_o be_v antichrist_n and_o babylon_n and_o at_o other_o time_n be_v ready_a to_o say_v to_o we_o be_v not_o afraid_a of_o we_o we_o be_v your_o near_a friend_n yea_o churchman_n as_o well_o as_o you_o
dissenter_n and_o therefore_o all_o the_o zeal_n that_o be_v pretend_v for_o it_o in_o opposition_n to_o they_o may_v very_o well_o be_v spare_v for_o the_o dissenter_n be_v of_o the_o church_n of_o england_n too_o they_o have_v the_o same_o faith_n and_o the_o same_o kind_n of_o worship_n the_o only_a difference_n be_v that_o of_o a_o few_o ceremony_n you_o may_v perhaps_o think_v it_o fit_a to_o let_v these_o paper_n come_v into_o the_o hand_n of_o some_o who_o be_v please_v with_o this_o notion_n and_o so_o will_v allow_v i_o to_o make_v some_o short_a reflection_n upon_o it_o it_o will_v be_v grant_v i_o think_v that_o this_o pretence_n will_v not_o hold_v with_o relation_n to_o all_o our_o dissenter_n from_o the_o establish_v church_n such_o as_o deny_v the_o eternity_n of_o the_o son_n of_o god_n and_o the_o doctrine_n of_o the_o bless_a trinity_n such_o as_o cast_v off_o the_o use_n of_o the_o two_o holy_a sacrament_n such_o as_o despise_v the_o rule_n of_o scripture_n and_o 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which_o be_v preach_v in_o the_o conventicle_n to_o be_v always_o the_o very_a same_o with_o what_o be_v teach_v in_o the_o church_n the_o accord_n alas_o be_v not_o yet_o so_o great_a as_o be_v pretend_v there_o be_v still_o a_o considerable_a difference_n even_o that_o which_o be_v between_o such_o as_o obey_v those_o that_o have_v the_o rule_n over_o they_o and_o such_o as_o do_v not_o that_o which_o be_v between_o such_o as_o preserve_v the_o unity_n of_o the_o church_n and_o such_o as_o schismatical_o divide_v from_o it_o and_o this_o the_o ancient_a father_n declare_v to_o be_v a_o very_a great_a difference_n yea_o as_o great_a as_o be_v between_o that_o part_n of_o the_o congregation_n of_o jsrael_n which_o adhere_v to_o their_o savil._n cyprian_a de_fw-fr unitate_fw-la eccles_n oper._n ed_n ox._n p._n 116._o chry●st_n ●om_n 3_o p._n 822._o ed._n savil._n leader_n and_o the_o company_n of_o corah_n who_o perish_v in_o his_o gainsay_n but_o if_o this_o be_v so_o great_a a_o difference_n may_v some_o say_v it_o be_v in_o the_o power_n of_o the_o governor_n of_o the_o church_n of_o england_n to_o remove_v it_o assoon_o as_o they_o please_v let_v they_o but_o take_v away_o the_o cause_n of_o separation_n and_o there_o will_v be_v a_o end_n of_o all_o discord_n we_o shall_v then_o according_a to_o the_o desire_n of_o st._n paul_n with_o one_o mind_n and_o one_o mouth_n glorify_v 6._o rom._n 15._o ●_o 6._o god_n even_o the_o father_n of_o our_o lord_n jesus_n christ._n that_o be_v let_v the_o church_n who_o have_v give_v no_o real_a ground_n of_o offence_n yield_v their_o cause_n and_o go_v and_o join_v with_o the_o offend_a and_o then_o the_o peace_n be_v make_v this_o indeed_o be_v a_o notable_a expedient_a and_o it_o be_v pity_n that_o such_o a_o heal_a method_n have_v not_o be_v find_v out_o in_o former_a age_n here_o will_v have_v be_v a_o present_a remedy_n for_o the_o novation_n schism_n which_o disturb_v the_o peace_n of_o the_o christian_a church_n for_o so_o long_a a_o time_n it_o be_v but_o for_o the_o catholic_n to_o have_v go_v over_o to_o they_o who_o forsake_v their_o communion_n without_o sufficient_a reason_n and_o then_o the_o union_n will_v have_v be_v reestablish_v or_o in_o the_o case_n beforementioned_a it_o be_v but_o for_o moses_n and_o aaron_n to_o have_v part_v with_o some_o of_o that_o authority_n which_o be_v think_v too_o much_o for_o they_o see_v all_o the_o congregation_n be_v holy_a 3._o num._n 16._o 3._o and_o that_o ecclesiastical_a sedition_n will_v have_v be_v present_o end_v till_o our_o dissenter_n shall_v be_v able_a to_o prove_v that_o their_o separation_n from_o we_o be_v absolute_o necessary_a which_o all_o their_o past_a attempt_n in_o order_n to_o it_o sufficient_o assure_v we_o will_v be_v a_o very_a great_a difficulty_n for_o they_o that_o carnal_a thing_n as_o st._n paul_n 20._o 1_o cor._n 3._o ●_o gal._n 5._o 20._o account_n it_n enter_v the_o very_a constitution_n of_o their_o religious_a assembly_n and_o make_v they_o essential_o differ_v from_o such_o as_o be_v hold_v in_o the_o unity_n of_o christ_n church_n but_o can_v some_o wonderful_a art_n at_o length_n be_v find_v out_o to_o hea●_n their_o schism_n notwithstanding_o their_o adherence_n to_o the_o principle_n on_o which_o they_o make_v a_o very_a unnecessary_a division_n the_o difference_n between_o the_o church_n and_o the_o meetinghouse_n will_v yet_o be_v manifest_o great_a than_o that_o of_o a_o few_o ceremony_n it_o can_v yet_o be_v forgoten_a that_o the_o dissenter_n once_o violent_o seize_v that_o which_o they_o now_o seem_v so_o willing_a to_o have_v free_o deliver_v up_o to_o they_o the_o legal_a establishment_n of_o our_o national_a church_n have_v open_v their_o way_n through_o the_o great_a of_o its_o defender_n down_o they_o throw_v it_o and_o set_v up_o themselves_o and_o when_o this_o be_v do_v have_v we_o still_o the_o same_o church_n of_o england_n which_o we_o have_v before_o only_o abate_v a_o 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