Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	apostle_n	gospel_n	paul_n	2,610	5	6.3520	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61596	Scripture and tradition compared in a sermon preached at Guild-Hall Chapel, Novemb. 27, 1687 / by Edward Stillingfleet ...	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.	1688 (1688)	Wing S5632; ESTC R14282	19,664	34

contain_v in_o the_o several_a gospel_n and_o that_o which_o add_v to_o the_o strength_n of_o this_o proof_n be_v that_o when_o the_o true_a gospel_n be_v write_v there_o be_v several_a false_a and_o counterfeit_a gospel_n disperse_v abroad_o under_o the_o name_n of_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o as_o of_o st._n peter_n st._n thomas_n 25._o st._n mathias_n and_o other_o as_o eusebius_n inform_v we_o and_o as_o we_o have_v the_o genuine_a act_n of_o the_o apostle_n so_o there_o be_v the_o pretend_a act_n of_o paul_n of_o andrew_n and_o john_n and_o the_o other_o apostle_n how_o come_v these_o to_o be_v reject_v and_o the_o other_o to_o be_v careful_o receive_v here_o lie_v the_o true_a advantage_n of_o original_a tradition_n before_o the_o write_a gospel_n that_o by_o it_o the_o several_a church_n be_v enable_v to_o pass_v a_o true_a judgement_n concern_v they_o when_o they_o come_v to_o be_v disperse_v among_o they_o for_o they_o can_v present_o tell_v whether_o what_o they_o read_v be_v agreeable_a to_o what_o they_o have_v hear_v and_o receive_v from_o the_o apostle_n as_o suppose_v the_o gospel_n of_o st._n matthew_n be_v publish_v in_o judea_n be_v carry_v into_o mesopotamia_n or_o persia_n where_o many_o christian_a church_n be_v very_o early_o plant_v these_o be_v thorough_o instruct_v by_o the_o apostle_n in_o all_o thing_n relate_v to_o the_o life_n death_n resurrection_n and_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n can_v present_o judge_v whether_o st._n matthews_n gospel_n agree_v with_o what_o they_o have_v hear_v or_o not_o and_o the_o like_a hold_v as_o to_o all_o the_o church_n in_o the_o roman_a empire_n so_o that_o the_o consent_n of_o the_o church_n so_o soon_o while_o the_o memory_n of_o the_o apostle_n doctrine_n be_v so_o fresh_a in_o their_o mind_n be_v in_o effect_n the_o consent_n of_o all_o the_o apostle_n who_o teach_v they_o and_o this_o be_v very_o different_a from_o the_o case_n of_o particular_a person_n in_o some_o church_n who_o may_v mistake_v or_o forget_v what_o be_v teach_v for_o this_o be_v a_o concurrent_a testimony_n of_o all_o the_o apostolical_a church_n who_o can_v not_o agree_v to_o approve_v a_o error_n in_o the_o gospel_n contrary_a to_o the_o faith_n deliver_v to_o they_o and_o that_o while_o some_o of_o the_o apostle_n be_v still_o live_v for_o the_o other_o gospel_n be_v receive_v and_o approve_v before_o st._n john_n write_v his_o the_o case_n have_v be_v far_o otherwise_o if_o no_o gospel_n have_v be_v write_v in_o that_o age_n for_o than_o it_o may_v have_v be_v suspect_v that_o either_o the_o impression_n of_o the_o first_o teacher_n be_v wear_v out_o or_o they_o have_v be_v by_o degree_n alter_v from_o their_o first_o apprehension_n by_o the_o cunning_a craftiness_n of_o those_o who_o lie_v in_o wait_n to_o deceive_v they_o after_o the_o decease_n of_o the_o apostle_n the_o common_a tradition_n of_o the_o apostolical_a church_n be_v useful_a in_o these_o case_n 1._o to_o convey_v down_o the_o authentic_a write_n of_o the_o apostle_n or_o evangelist_n which_o be_v deliver_v to_o any_o of_o they_o 2._o to_o bear_v testimony_n against_o any_o pretend_a write_n which_o be_v not_o first_o receive_v by_o the_o apostolical_a church_n to_o which_o they_o be_v say_v to_o be_v write_v for_o there_o can_v be_v no_o negative_a testimony_n of_o more_o force_n than_o that_o it_o be_v improbable_a to_o the_o utmost_a degree_n that_o such_o a_o church_n shall_v not_o know_v or_o not_o make_v know_v any_o true_a apostolical_a write_n 3._o to_o overthrow_v any_o pretence_n to_o a_o secret_a tradition_n from_o the_o apostle_n different_a from_o what_o be_v see_v in_o the_o apostolical_a write_n 4._o and_o to_o this_o purpose_n irenaeus_n and_o tertullian_n make_v very_o good_a use_n of_o the_o tradition_n of_o the_o apostolical_a church_n against_o the_o pretender_n to_o such_o a_o tradition_n haer._n which_o those_o church_n be_v not_o acquaint_v with_o but_o they_o agree_v that_o the_o apostle_n commit_v the_o same_o doctrine_n to_o write_v which_o they_o preach_v and_o that_o it_o may_v be_v a_o foundation_n and_o pillar_n of_o faith_n that_o this_o doctrine_n be_v contain_v in_o the_o four_o gospel_n and_o that_o the_o apostolical_a church_n do_v receive_v they_o from_o those_o who_o first_o write_v they_o and_o that_o within_o the_o compass_n of_o the_o apostolical_a age._n it_o be_v therefore_o most_o agreeable_a to_o the_o infinite_a wisdom_n of_o god_n in_o provide_v for_o a_o constant_a establishment_n of_o the_o faith_n of_o his_o church_n in_o all_o age_n neither_o to_o permit_v the_o gospel_n to_o be_v write_v till_o the_o church_n be_v plant_v nor_o to_o be_v put_v off_o to_o another_o generation_n for_o than_o it_o will_v have_v be_v plausible_o object_v if_o these_o thing_n be_v true_a why_o be_v they_o not_o record_v when_o there_o be_v person_n live_v who_o be_v best_a able_a to_o have_v either_o prove_v or_o confute_v they_o then_o we_o may_v have_v be_v satisfy_v one_o way_n or_o other_o but_o now_o the_o jew_n be_v dead_a and_o the_o apostle_n be_v dead_a and_o although_o there_o be_v many_o leave_v who_o believe_v their_o doctrine_n yet_o this_o can_v never_o reach_v to_o the_o testimony_n of_o those_o who_o see_v and_o hear_v the_o thing_n themselves_o or_o who_o doctrine_n be_v attest_v by_o those_o who_o do_v so_o and_o this_o be_v now_o the_o mighty_a advantage_n of_o the_o church_n ever_o since_o that_o the_o thing_n concern_v christ_n be_v write_v by_o such_o person_n with_o what_o another_o kind_n of_o authority_n do_v those_o word_n command_v our_o assent_n 3._o that_o which_o be_v from_o the_o beginning_n which_o we_o have_v hear_v which_o we_o have_v see_v with_o our_o eye_n which_o we_o have_v look_v upon_o and_o our_o hand_n have_v handle_v of_o the_o word_n of_o life_n for_o the_o life_n be_v manifest_v and_o we_o have_v see_v it_o and_o bear_v witness_n and_o show_v unto_o you_o that_o eternal_a life_n which_o be_v with_o the_o father_n and_o be_v manifest_a unto_o we_o that_o which_o we_o have_v see_v and_o hear_v declare_v we_o unto_o you_o then_o if_o all_o the_o testimony_n concern_v christ_n be_v to_o be_v resolve_v into_o those_o who_o hear_v some_o say_v that_o other_o tell_v they_o they_o have_v it_o from_o such_o who_o see_v those_o who_o converse_v with_o they_o who_o see_v christ_n in_o the_o flesh_n at_o such_o a_o distance_n the_o authority_n of_o a_o testimony_n be_v extreme_o lessen_v which_o be_v not_o like_o a_o river_n which_o grow_v great_a by_o run_v but_o like_o a_o mineral_n water_n which_o lose_v its_o strength_n by_o be_v carry_v too_o far_o we_o find_v in_o the_o time_n of_o papias_n who_o live_v but_o in_o the_o second_o century_n the_o authority_n of_o bare_a tradition_n be_v mighty_o sink_v 39_o for_o eusebius_n say_v he_o converse_v with_o the_o disciple_n of_o our_o lord_n and_o his_o apostle_n he_o say_v of_o himself_o that_o he_o go_v up_o and_o down_o to_o they_o to_o get_v what_o he_o can_v from_o they_o have_v a_o great_a esteem_n of_o what_o he_o can_v learn_v from_o they_o than_o of_o what_o be_v write_v and_o what_o advantage_n do_v this_o bring_v to_o the_o church_n it_o bring_v some_o idle_a opinion_n into_o reputation_n say_v eusebius_n for_o afterward_o they_o think_v it_o enough_o to_o fix_v they_o upon_o papias_n but_o how_o be_v it_o possible_a for_o he_o to_o mistake_v eusebius_n say_v that_o be_v a_o man_n of_o mean_a capacity_n he_o may_v easy_o misunderstand_v the_o meaning_n of_o what_o be_v speak_v but_o if_o tradition_n may_v fail_v after_o such_o a_o manner_n so_o near_o the_o apostle_n time_n then_o we_o must_v be_v assure_v of_o the_o capacity_n as_o well_o as_o integrity_n of_o those_o of_o every_o age_n through_o who_o a_o tradition_n pass_v or_o else_o they_o may_v deceive_v or_o be_v deceive_v about_o it_o but_o god_n be_v please_v to_o provide_v better_o for_o the_o security_n of_o our_o faith_n by_o cause_v the_o gospel_n to_o be_v write_v either_o by_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o as_o st._n matthew_n and_o st._n john_n or_o by_o the_o disciple_n of_o the_o chief_a apostle_n while_o the_o other_o be_v survive_v as_o st._n mark_n and_o st._n luke_n and_o the_o latter_a give_v this_o account_n of_o his_o undertake_n to_o write_v it_o 4._o viz._n that_o thou_o mighe_v know_v the_o certainty_n of_o those_o thing_n wherein_o thou_o have_v be_v instruct_v his_o instruction_n be_v by_o a_o oral_a tradition_n but_o that_o it_o seem_v want_v something_o to_o strengthen_v and_o confirm_v it_o and_o that_o be_v by_o st._n luke_n writing_n his_o gospel_n how_o can_v they_o add_v any_o assurance_n to_o he_o if_o all_o the_o ground_n of_o his_o certainty_n be_v to_o be_v take_v from_o tradition_n st._n luke_n think_v