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scripture_n article_n believe_v creed_n 2,820 5 10.5298 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A29214 A sermon preached at the opening of the lecture at Maldon in Essex, lately established by the Lord Bishop of London in vindication of the antiquity of the doctrine of the Church of England / by William Bramston ... Bramston, William, d. 1735. 1697 (1697) Wing B4243; ESTC R18304 16,131 26

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so_o that_o
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maintain_v by_o the_o church_n at_o rome_n for_o as_o their_o new_a corruption_n and_o additional_a definition_n of_o faith_n must_v fall_v short_a of_o those_o age_n wherein_o christianity_n flourish_v with_o all_o truth_n and_o purity_n and_o those_o can_v be_v no_o other_o than_o the_o day_n of_o christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n so_o the_o old_a truth_n retain_v and_o process_v by_o we_o must_v have_v be_v then_o most_o triumphant_a and_o prevail_a and_o therefore_o that_o which_o have_v puzzle_v so_o many_o weak_a and_o unlearned_a people_n of_o our_o communion_n to_o wit_n the_o question_n about_o the_o age_n of_o our_o religion_n and_o our_o church_n may_v easy_o be_v resolve_v if_o they_o distinguish_v the_o antiquity_n of_o seat_n and_o place_n which_o be_v nothing_o to_o the_o business_n from_o the_o antiquity_n of_o truth_n and_o doctrine_n and_o this_o distinction_n must_v be_v allow_v good_a even_o by_o our_o adversary_n themselves_o if_o they_o consider_v that_o the_o dispute_n now_o be_v not_o about_o the_o antiquity_n of_o particular_a see_v and_o national_a constitution_n but_o the_o antiquity_n of_o faith_n and_o religion_n its_o self_n which_o i_o hope_v may_v be_v the_o same_o in_o a_o church_n of_o yesterday_n conversion_n as_o it_o be_v in_o antioch_n which_o have_v the_o honour_n to_o give_v the_o first_o name_n to_o christian_n do_v the_o church_n of_o rome_n at_o any_o time_n esteem_v she_o own_o antiquity_n lessen_v upon_o such_o a_o consideration_n as_o this_o that_o st._n peter_n erect_v his_o apostolical_a seat_n first_o at_o antioch_n before_o ever_o he_o have_v arrive_v at_o rome_n or_o will_v she_o acknowledge_v a_o deference_n due_a to_o that_o church_n in_o point_n of_o faith_n and_o purity_n because_o she_o have_v the_o happiness_n to_o be_v christen_v before_o she_o i_o doubt_v the_o mother_n and_o mistress_n of_o all_o church_n as_o she_o delight_v to_o style_v herself_o can_v never_o stoop_v to_o such_o a_o condescension_n if_o my_o faith_n be_v find_v and_o perfect_a now_o can_v it_o be_v believe_v the_o more_o new_a and_o upstart_a because_o not_o profess_v by_o my_o forefather_n who_o know_v not_o the_o truth_n or_o do_v my_o late_a conversion_n if_o good_a and_o upright_o diminish_v or_o derogate_v from_o the_o antiquity_n of_o truth_n its_o self_n the_o antiquity_n of_o all_o other_o thing_n be_v calculate_v from_o their_o original_a and_o beginning_n in_o the_o world_n and_o why_o the_o same_o rule_n will_v do_v in_o faith_n and_o religion_n i_o understand_v not_o indeed_o if_o any_o particular_a church_n can_v make_v out_o a_o continue_a succession_n in_o all_o circumstance_n of_o doctrine_n and_o discipline_n from_o the_o time_n of_o the_o apostle_n unto_o this_o very_a day_n this_o will_v not_o doubt_v be_v a_o incomparable_a argument_n both_o of_o her_o antiquity_n and_o of_o god_n especial_a goodness_n and_o providence_n over_o she_o but_o the_o present_a roman_a church_n can_v no_o more_o make_v out_o such_o a_o succession_n than_o the_o present_a church_n of_o england_n and_o if_o she_o can_v still_o such_o a_o succession_n be_v not_o to_o be_v esteem_v the_o only_a mark_n of_o truth_n and_o antiquity_n and_o this_o i_o think_v can_v be_v more_o clear_o illustrate_v than_o from_o matter_n of_o fact_n to_o which_o we_o may_v appeal_v in_o this_o case_n for_o instance_n there_o can_v be_v no_o question_n but_o the_o ancient_a faith_n of_o christ_n be_v now_o profess_a by_o the_o true_a faithful_a of_o christ_n and_o shall_v continue_v to_o be_v so_o profess_v till_o the_o day_n of_o judgement_n and_o yet_o there_o be_v now_o no_o particular_a church_n of_o the_o faithful_a that_o can_v make_v out_o such_o a_o succession_n nor_o any_o one_o church_n endow_v with_o a_o assurance_n of_o continue_v indefectible_o in_o that_o very_a state_n in_o which_o she_o be_v now_o till_o the_o day_n of_o judgement_n i_o know_v the_o church_n of_o rome_n will_v fain_o have_v we_o believe_v she_o inspire_v with_o these_o infallible_a accomplishment_n but_o she_o must_v produce_v a_o better_a scheme_n of_o her_o perfection_n than_o what_o we_o meet_v in_o her_o trent_n definition_n or_o she_o will_v never_o persuade_v we_o that_o she_o be_v any_o more_o like_o the_o church_n establish_v at_o rome_n by_o st_n peter_n than_o st._n peter_n himself_o be_v like_o the_o most_o change_a and_o backslide_a apostle_n for_o as_o to_o her_o magnificent_a style_n in_o write_v she_o feel_v the_o church_n apostolic_a this_o must_v appear_v rather_o a_o character_n of_o ornament_n and_o show_n than_o any_o certain_a signification_n of_o her_o necessary_a continuance_n in_o truth_n and_o purity_n for_o be_v not_o the_o apostolic_a see_v as_o liable_a to_o relapse_n and_o degenerate_a as_o any_o found_v by_o their_o successor_n where_o be_v the_o glory_n of_o antioch_n ephesus_n and_o alexandria_n which_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o plant_v and_o water_v with_o the_o dew_n of_o heaven_n which_o those_o heavenly_a shepherd_n nourish_v with_o the_o bless_a food_n of_o evangelical_n righteousness_n and_o notwithstanding_o all_o the_o applause_n with_o which_o the_o present_a romanist_n exalt_v themselves_o i_o doubt_v not_o but_o be_v st._n peter_n to_o arise_v this_o moment_n from_o the_o dead_a and_o visit_v the_o conclave_n or_o inspect_v the_o council_n of_o rome_n but_o he_o will_v be_v very_o much_o put_v to_o it_o where_o to_o find_v faith_n on_o earth_n i_o say_v therefore_o her_o be_v found_v by_o a_o apostle_n if_o we_o grant_v thus_o much_o can_v no_o more_o entitle_v her_o indefectible_a in_o the_o faith_n than_o it_o have_v the_o church_n of_o antioch_n ephesus_n and_o alexandria_n which_o have_v either_o altogether_o fail_v and_o forsake_v the_o name_n of_o christ_n or_o be_v at_o least_o according_a to_o their_o own_o roman_a tenant_n quite_o cut_v off_o for_o schism_n or_o heresy_n from_o the_o communion_n of_o what_o they_o call_v the_o true_a church_n let_v she_o show_v when_o and_o where_o god_n have_v anoint_v she_o with_o this_o oil_n of_o perfection_n above_o her_o fellow_n but_o now_o then_o if_o a_o apostolic_a church_n may_v thus_o recoil_v and_o become_v impure_a nay_o since_o christianity_n shall_v not_o fail_v why_o must_v not_o some_o church_n be_v most_o pure_a which_o yet_o be_v not_o apostolical_a i_o mean_v teach_v and_o instruct_v by_o the_o lively_a voice_n of_o the_o apostle_n if_o this_o be_v bad_a argue_v what_o may_v we_o think_v of_o all_o the_o church_n convert_v and_o found_v many_o age_n since_o the_o day_n of_o the_o apostle_n or_o if_o this_o be_v a_o good_a inference_n what_o objection_n can_v it_o be_v against_o any_o particular_a church_n which_o be_v sound_a and_o upright_o in_o all_o her_o doctrine_n that_o she_o have_v not_o continue_v for_o ever_o that_o she_o be_v yet_o but_o of_o a_o very_a late_a birth_n and_o duration_n if_o her_o doctrine_n be_v as_o old_a as_o the_o scripture_n can_v the_o religion_n of_o such_o a_o church_n fall_v short_a of_o the_o age_n of_o the_o gospel_n if_o her_o holy_a principle_n flourish_v in_o the_o ancient_a creed_n and_o council_n can_v she_o reasonable_o be_v reproach_v for_o a_o innovation_n of_o two_o hundred_o year_n ago_o this_o be_v the_o very_a case_n of_o the_o church_n of_o england_n and_o for_o the_o truth_n of_o it_o we_o appeal_v to_o the_o scripture_n to_o the_o ancient_a creed_n and_o council_n indeed_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n make_v a_o great_a noise_n and_o show_v with_o the_o flourish_n of_o her_o succession_n but_o if_o she_o mean_v a_o succession_n in_o purity_n of_o doctrine_n we_o may_v easy_o convince_v she_o of_o vanity_n and_o tattle_n if_o she_o mean_v a_o succession_n in_o the_o outward_a circumstance_n and_o appearance_n of_o a_o church_n such_o as_o consist_v in_o true_a pastor_n bishop_n and_o the_o like_a i_o answer_v that_o there_o may_v be_v such_o