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england_n church_n government_n great_a 2,613 5 2.9999 3 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A44145 Letters written to J.M. a nonconformist teacher, concerning the gift and forms of prayer The second part. By Matthew Hole, B.D. sometime fellow of Exeter College, Oxon. now vicar of Stoke-gursey in Somersetshire.; Correct copy of some letters written to J.M. a nonconformist teacher, concerning the gift and forms of prayer. Part 2. Hole, Matthew, 1639 or 40-1730. 1699 (1699) Wing H2410; ESTC R215281 96,332 185

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of_o they_o by_o return_v to_o your_o duty_n both_o to_o god_n and_o the_o church_n that_o you_o may_v avoid_v unnecessary_a trouble_n here_o and_o far_o great_a danger_n and_o punishment_n hereafter_o but_o you_o have_v two_o or_o three_o plea_n more_o to_o shift_v off_o obedience_n to_o good_a law_n viz._n a_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n or_o plea_n of_o conscience_n the_o plea_n of_o moderation_n and_o the_o plea_n of_o toleration_n all_o which_o shall_v be_v consider_v in_o order_n in_o the_o mean_a time_n i_o be_o sir_n you_o m._n h._n sept_n 11_o 1697._o letter_n vii_o sir_n i_o considere_v in_o my_o last_o your_o plea_n of_o persecution_n whereby_o you_o have_v endeavour_v to_o evade_v the_o just_a and_o necessary_a punishment_n of_o wholesome_a law_n i_o come_v now_o to_o another_o plea_n by_o which_o you_o seek_v to_o cast_v off_o all_o obedience_n to_o they_o and_o that_o be_v your_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n whereby_o you_o can_v very_o discreet_o judge_v any_o thing_n to_o be_v unlawful_a which_o you_o have_v no_o mind_n to_o obey_v and_o this_o judgement_n though_o never_o so_o false_a ill_o ground_v and_o erroneous_a shall_v give_v you_o a_o supersedeas_fw-la and_o justify_v your_o disobedience_n to_o they_o this_o be_v a_o matter_n of_o that_o consequence_n that_o it_o ought_v to_o be_v well_o examine_v in_o order_n to_o the_o peace_n of_o church_n and_o state_n let_v we_o see_v then_o where_o this_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n be_v lodge_v and_o how_o it_o be_v manage_v in_o order_n to_o the_o compass_v of_o this_o end_n to_o which_o purpose_n pray_v consult_v your_o letter_n of_o june_n the_o 23th_o where_o you_o will_v find_v these_o word_n i_o see_v you_o lodge_v the_o final_a decision_n of_o what_o be_v lawful_a decent_a and_o expedient_a in_o these_o matter_n in_o the_o breast_n of_o superior_n yes_o sir_n in_o all_o thing_n that_o be_v not_o apparent_o unlawful_a indecent_a and_o inexpedient_a for_o since_o somebody_o must_v have_v the_o 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than_o they_o have_v a_o mind_n to_o as_o appear_v in_o the_o rite_n and_o ceremony_n of_o the_o church_n which_o though_o in_o their_o own_o nature_n plain_o indifferent_a yet_o some_o man_n can_v or_o will_v not_o think_v they_o so_o because_o they_o do_v not_o think_v fit_a to_o observe_v they_o yea_o they_o have_v a_o far_o fetch_v if_o the_o indifferency_n of_o they_o too_o plain_o appear_v and_o that_o be_v that_o the_o impose_v of_o they_o alter_v their_o nature_n and_o make_v they_o necessary_a and_o consequent_o unlawful_a by_o which_o artifice_n their_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n shall_v rob_v the_o magistrate_n of_o all_o judgement_n and_o authority_n in_o indifferent_a thing_n then_o two_o if_o the_o question_n say_v you_o be_v about_o lawful_a or_o unlawful_a than_o every_o one_o must_v have_v a_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n allow_v they_o of_o course_n so_o that_o by_o this_o device_n the_o magistrate_n be_v cut_v off_o from_o all_o judgement_n of_o discretion_n 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inter_fw-la ipsas_fw-la pectoris_fw-la latebras_fw-la silent_o and_o modest_o within_o the_o secret_n of_o their_o own_o breast_n so_o that_o as_o the_o nature_n so_o the_o gift_n of_o prayer_n must_v be_v so_o define_v as_o to_o extend_v to_o and_o comprise_v both_o the_o not_o know_v or_o consider_v this_o have_v lead_v he_o into_o this_o mistake_n of_o restrain_v the_o gift_n of_o prayer_n only_o to_o that_o which_o be_v vocal_a by_o which_o mean_n he_o pass_v by_o that_o which_o be_v essential_a and_o common_a with_o it_o to_o the_o several_a kind_n of_o prayer_n viz._n the_o elevation_n of_o the_o heart_n and_o place_n the_o gift_n of_o it_o in_o a_o ability_n of_o expression_n which_o belong_v only_o to_o vocal_a prayer_n and_o that_o too_o not_o as_o it_o be_v prayer_n but_o only_o as_o it_o be_v vocal_a which_o have_v occasion_v that_o vulgar_a error_n of_o call_v the_o gift_n of_o speech_n apply_v to_o the_o matter_n of_o prayer_n by_o the_o name_n of_o the_o gift_n of_o 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to_o be_v with_o they_o to_o the_o end_n of_o the_o world_n matth._n 28.19_o and_o st._n paul_n woe_n be_v to_o i_o if_o i_o preach_v not_o the_o gospel_n 1_o cor._n 9.16_o but_o to_o how_o bad_a purpose_v these_o be_v apply_v to_o your_o case_n will_v be_v obvious_a to_o any_o that_o will_v consider_v the_o different_a state_n of_o thing_n in_o the_o apostle_n and_o our_o day_n for_o the_o apostle_n live_v under_o heathen_a governor_n who_o for_o bad_a they_o to_o speak_v in_o the_o name_n of_o christ_n and_o require_v they_o to_o stifle_v that_o message_n which_o they_o have_v in_o charge_n to_o deliver_v and_o therefore_o may_v well_o ask_v the_o question_n whether_o it_o be_v not_o more_o fit_a to_o obey_v god_n rather_o than_o man_n whereas_o thanks_o be_v to_o god_n we_o live_v under_o christian_a prince_n who_o not_o only_o embrace_v the_o christian_a religion_n themselves_o but_o guard_v it_o with_o good_a law_n to_o propagate_v its_o doctrine_n and_o preserve_v its_o peace_n 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in_o danger_n of_o perish_v for_o lack_v of_o knowledge_n the_o great_a mischief_n be_v from_o your_o evil_a art_n of_o seduce_a and_o draw_v the_o people_n from_o those_o place_n where_o these_o thing_n be_v clear_o set_v before_o they_o and_o the_o atheism_n debauchery_n and_o other_o evil_n you_o complain_v of_o be_v evident_o occasion_v by_o your_o separation_n for_o when_o man_n discover_v the_o fraud_n and_o falsehood_n of_o your_o vain_a pretence_n they_o begin_v to_o suspect_v the_o truth_n of_o religion_n itself_o and_o be_v thence_o lead_v to_o throw_v off_o all_o beside_o if_o you_o will_v preach_v where_o there_o be_v most_o need_n you_o shall_v repair_v to_o those_o place_n where_o the_o gospel_n be_v not_o yet_o plant_v and_o scatter_v your_o light_n in_o some_o of_o the_o dark_a corner_n of_o the_o earth_n but_o instead_o of_o that_o you_o be_v for_o exercise_v your_o talon_n not_o where_o be_v the_o great_a need_n of_o instruction_n but_o where_o you_o may_v reap_v 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finger_n of_o presbytery_n heavy_a than_o the_o loin_n of_o episcopacy_n further_o more_o 7thly_fw-mi when_o i_o tell_v you_o of_o the_o false_a gloss_n of_o the_o pharisee_n you_o own_v they_o to_o be_v loose_a expositor_n of_o the_o law_n and_o give_v a_o instance_n of_o it_o in_o their_o not_o make_v it_o to_o extend_v to_o the_o internal_o of_o religion_n but_o to_o reach_v only_o the_o outward_a man_n and_o to_o rest_v in_o the_o external_n observance_n of_o your_o ceremony_n and_o tradition_n this_o be_v intend_v for_o a_o fill_v to_o the_o ceremony_n as_o mere_a outside_n formal_a thing_n that_o be_v inconsistent_a with_o the_o inward_a life_n and_o power_n of_o godliness_n but_o sir_n be_v the_o worship_n of_o god_n to_o be_v perform_v without_o any_o ceremony_n if_o not_o be_v it_o not_o much_o more_o comely_a to_o behold_v man_n join_v and_o agree_v together_o in_o the_o same_o humble_a posture_n of_o devotion_n than_o to_o see_v they_o clash_v and_o use_v different_a word_n 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say_v eat_v not_o taste_v not_o handle_v not_o the_o holy_a sacrament_n kneel_v as_o it_o be_v in_o the_o pharisee_n to_o say_v eat_v not_o taste_v not_o handle_v not_o god_n creature_n with_o unwashen_n hand_n whereas_o the_o church_n of_o england_n look_v on_o these_o ceremony_n as_o mere_o indifferent_a and_o alterable_a circumstance_n of_o public_a worship_n as_o you_o may_v see_v at_o large_a in_o the_o preface_n before_o the_o common-prayer_n and_o appoint_v they_o only_o for_o external_a order_n and_o decency_n have_v careful_o avoid_v the_o superstition_n of_o both_o and_o yet_o to_o keep_v up_o your_o party_n you_o tell_v the_o people_n that_o we_o make_v they_o necessary_a and_o essential_a part_n of_o worship_n and_o that_o you_o abstain_v from_o they_o for_o the_o same_o reason_n that_o christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n abstain_v from_o the_o ceremony_n and_o tradition_n of_o the_o pharisee_n because_o we_o place_v holiness_n and_o religion_n in_o they_o this_o sir_n be_v 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