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A

SERMON
Preach'd at Patrixbourne,
near Canterbury;

To prove the

DISSENTERS

Are impos'd upon by their

TEACHERS,

And that they ought to conform to the

Church of England,

As by Law establish'd.

With a PREFACE to fhow their Mistake,
about the Act of Exemption, and that
they can have no Claim to that Indul-
gence, without certain Conditions there-
in mention'd.

By J. BOWTELL, B. D. Fellow of St. John's
College in Cambridge.

LONDON:

Printed by W.D. for R. KNAPLOCK at the
Bishop's-Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard.

M DCC XI.

(24

7JA0

THE

PREFACE

To the Parishioners of

Patrixbourne and Bridge,

Particularly the DISSENTERS.

A

FTER the Church has inftructed ber Clergy, and taught them from the Holy Scriptures, bow Honourable, and bow important their Office is, That they are the Meffengers, Watchmen, and Stewards of the Lord, and are to feek for Chrift's Sheep, that are difpers'd abroad, She obferves to them how great a Fault it is, and what a fevere Punishment will fall upon them if any one of her Members fhou'd fuffer by their Neglect, and therefore commands them, never to give over their Labour, Care, and Diligence to remove and keep out all wicked Practifes, and erroneous Doctrines, from aA 2 mong st

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mongst those, especially, that are committed ta their Charge.

And fince we have folemnly promis'd, with all Faithfulness and Diligence, to follow thefe Inftructions, twill be my Duty always to be ready with the best Directions I can give, where I am fo immediately concern'd; to prevent your being impos'd upon, and led away by the pretended Arguments of defigning Men; and to undeceive fo many of you as have been enfnar'd by their Devices. For which End I put into your hands the following Difcourfe, and wou'd defire of you farther, that whenever you meet with Objections against your joining in Communion with our Church, you wou'd be fo impartial, as to hear what may be faid in answer to them; and not, out of Prejudice, condemn us unbeard. This you will do if you have a due regard to Truth, and if your Inclinations be not stronger to Diffent than to Conform. But if you will not be prevail'd upon to Act with fo much Sincerity, as 'tis your indifpenfable Duty to do, then must your Errors be all owing to your own unaccountable Humour, and not any Omiffion, I hope, or Neglect of mine.

You are told there's a Toleration, a Liberty of Confcience, granted by Law to the Diffenters; and from the found of thefe

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