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opinion_n abhor_v christian_n great_a 22 3 2.1748 3 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A27392 An answer to the dissenters pleas for separation, or, An abridgment of the London cases wherein the substance of those books is digested into one short and plain discourse. Bennet, Thomas, 1673-1728. 1700 (1700) Wing B1888; ESTC R16887 202,270 335

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man_n he_o that_o mind_v those_o thing_n most_o on_o which_o the_o efficacy_n of_o his_o prayer_n for_o christ_n sake_n do_v depend_v will_v not_o need_v new_a phrase_n every_o time_n to_o raise_v his_o affection_n and_o the_o more_o a_o man_n be_v concern_v about_o the_o necessary_a preparation_n for_o the_o sacrament_n the_o less_o afraid_a will_v he_o be_v of_o offend_a god_n by_o kneel_v at_o it_o for_o he_o will_v find_v that_o true_a religion_n consist_v in_o the_o constant_a practice_n of_o holiness_n righteousness_n and_o charity_n which_o make_v a_o man_n real_o better_a and_o more_o like_a to_o god_n 3._o if_o man_n be_v but_o real_o will_v to_o receive_v satisfaction_n this_o alone_a will_v half_o conquer_v their_o scruple_n but_o when_o they_o be_v fond_a of_o they_o and_o nourish_v they_o and_o will_v neither_o hear_v nor_o read_v what_o be_v to_o be_v say_v on_o the_o other_o side_n there_o can_v be_v but_o little_a hope_n of_o recover_v they_o to_o a_o right_a 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from_o their_o lawful_a teacher_n what_o they_o be_v not_o competent_a judge_n of_o themselves_o but_o the_o difficulty_n be_v how_o a_o private_a christian_a shall_v govern_v himself_o when_o the_o very_a minister_n of_o religion_n disagree_v by_o what_o rule_n shall_v he_o choose_v his_o guide_n i_o answer_v 1._o if_o a_o man_n be_v tolerable_o able_a to_o judge_n for_o himself_o let_v he_o impartial_o hear_v both_o side_n and_o think_v it_o no_o shame_n to_o change_v his_o mind_n when_o he_o see_v good_a reason_n for_o it_o can_v we_o thus_o prevail_v with_o the_o people_n diligent_o to_o examine_v the_o merit_n of_o the_o cause_n our_o church_n will_v every_o day_n gain_v more_o ground_n among_o all_o wise_a men._n for_o we_o care_v not_o how_o much_o knowledge_n and_o understanding_n our_o people_n have_v so_o they_o be_v but_o humble_a and_o modest_a with_o it_o nor_o do_v we_o desire_v man_n to_o become_v our_o proselyte_n any_o further_a than_o we_o give_v they_o good_a scripture_n and_o reason_n for_o it_o 2._o as_o for_o those_o who_o be_v not_o capable_a of_o judge_v they_o have_v better_o depend_v on_o those_o minister_n who_o be_v regular_o and_o by_o the_o law_n of_o the_o land_n set_v over_o they_o than_o on_o any_o other_o teacher_n that_o they_o can_v choose_v for_o themselves_o i_o speak_v now_o of_o these_o present_a controversy_n about_o form_n and_o ceremony_n which_o be_v above_o the_o sphere_n of_o common_a people_n not_o of_o such_o thing_n as_o concern_v the_o salvation_n of_o all_o man_n which_o be_v plain_a and_o evident_a to_o the_o mean_a capacity_n when_o therefore_o in_o such_o case_n about_o which_o we_o can_v easy_o satisfy_v ourselves_o we_o follow_v the_o advice_n of_o the_o authorize_v guide_n if_o they_o chance_v to_o mislead_v we_o we_o have_v something_o to_o say_v for_o ourselves_o our_o error_n be_v more_o excusable_a as_o be_v occasion_v by_o those_o who_o judgement_n god_n command_v we_o to_o respect_v but_o when_o we_o choose_v instructor_n according_a to_o our_o own_o fancy_n if_o we_o then_o prove_v to_o be_v in_o the_o wrong_n and_o be_v betray_v into_o sin_n we_o may_v thank_v our_o own_o wantonness_n for_o it_o and_o be_v more_o severe_o accountable_a for_o such_o mistake_n thus_o if_o a_o sick_a person_n shall_v miscarry_v under_o a_o license_v physician_n he_o have_v this_o contentment_n that_o he_o use_v the_o wise_a mean_n for_o recovery_n but_o if_o he_o will_v hearken_v only_o to_o quack_n and_o then_o grow_v worse_o and_o worse_o he_o must_v charge_v his_o own_o folly_n as_o the_o cause_n of_o his_o ruin_n 4._o we_o shall_v thorough_o consider_v what_o be_v the_o true_a notion_n of_o lawful_a and_o how_o it_o differ_v from_o what_o be_v necessary_a and_o from_o what_o be_v sinful_a that_o be_v necessary_a or_o our_o duty_n which_o god_n have_v express_o command_v that_o be_v sinful_a which_o god_n have_v forbid_v that_o be_v lawful_a which_o god_n have_v not_o by_o any_o law_n oblige_v we_o either_o command_v or_o forbid_v for_o where_o there_o be_v no_o law_n say_v the_o apostle_n there_o be_v no_o transgression_n rom._n 4.15_o there_o can_v be_v no_o transgression_n but_o either_o omit_v what_o the_o law_n command_v or_o do_v what_o the_o law_n forbid_v for_o instance_n if_o any_o man_n can_v show_v where_o kneel_v at_o the_o sacrament_n be_v forbid_v in_o scripture_n and_o sit_v be_v require_v where_o pray_v by_o a_o form_n be_v forbid_v and_o extempore_o prayer_n be_v enjoin_v then_o indeed_o the_o dispute_n will_v soon_o be_v at_o a_o end_n but_o if_o neither_o the_o one_o nor_o other_o can_v be_v find_v as_o most_o certain_o they_o can_v then_o kneel_v at_o the_o sacrament_n and_o read_v prayer_n out_o of_o a_o book_n must_v be_v reckon_v among_o thing_n lawful_a and_o then_o there_o be_v no_o need_n of_o scruple_v they_o because_o they_o may_v be_v do_v without_o sin_n nay_o where_o they_o be_v require_v by_o our_o superior_n it_o be_v our_o duty_n 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