Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	circumstance_n	command_v	lawful_a	3,295	5	9.7889	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61578	Of the nature of superstition a sermon preached at St Dunstans West, March 31, MDCLXXXII / by Edward Stillingfleet ...	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.	1682 (1682)	Wing S5614; ESTC R18667	23,089	50

apprehend_v to_o be_v unlawful_a by_o virtue_n of_o a_o general_a command_n for_o that_o be_v a_o moral_a duty_n and_o obedience_n to_o those_o place_n of_o scripture_n which_o bid_v we_o abstain_v from_o all_o kind_n and_o appearance_n of_o evil_n but_o yet_o it_o be_v plain_a here_o be_v a_o negative_a superstition_n in_o the_o forbearance_n of_o lawful_a thing_n and_o so_o it_o be_v in_o the_o dispute_n between_o christ_n and_o the_o pharisee_n about_o heal_v on_o 12._o the_o sabbath_n day_n they_o think_v it_o unlawful_a christ_n declare_v it_o to_o be_v lawful_a to_o do_v good_a on_o the_o sabbath_n days_n here_o be_v no_o positive_a observance_n on_o the_o pharisee_n part_n yet_o here_o be_v superstition_n in_o they_o and_o therefore_o the_o true_a notion_n of_o superstition_n do_v extend_v to_o the_o forbearance_n of_o thing_n in_o themselves_o lawful_a as_o displease_v to_o god_n but_o how_o shall_v we_o know_v when_o such_o a_o forbearance_n be_v superstitious_a by_o these_o rule_n 1._o if_o such_o a_o forbearance_n be_v think_v to_o bring_v some_o special_a honour_n to_o god_n for_o then_o even_o dr._n ames_n himself_o grant_v it_o to_o be_v superstition_n to_o abstain_v 101._o from_o lawful_a thing_n though_o account_v unlawful_a by_o the_o person_n who_o abstain_v when_o some_o singular_a service_n and_o honour_n be_v by_o that_o abstinence_n intend_v for_o than_o he_o grant_v it_o to_o be_v a_o kind_n of_o ceremonious_a worship_n the_o question_n than_o be_v when_o this_o case_n happen_v for_o our_o abstinence_n from_o popish_a or_o mahometan_a superstition_n be_v not_o any_o special_a act_n of_o service_n or_o honour_n to_o god_n but_o if_o we_o live_v where_o those_o act_n of_o worship_n be_v require_v by_o lawful_a authority_n and_o we_o refuse_v to_o comply_v with_o they_o that_o will_v be_v a_o special_a act_n of_o honour_n and_o worship_n to_o god_n it_o be_v a_o declaration_n of_o our_o mind_n that_o we_o think_v god_n dishonour_v by_o such_o act_n and_o therefore_o dare_v not_o comply_v with_o they_o it_o be_v once_o a_o great_a question_n among_o the_o papist_n whether_o they_o may_v lawful_o come_v to_o our_o church_n or_o not_o and_o if_o not_o to_o our_o prayer_n and_o sacrament_n yet_o to_o our_o sermon_n to_o avoid_v the_o severe_a penalty_n of_o the_o law_n and_o after_o great_a debate_n both_o by_o a_o committee_n of_o the_o council_n of_o trent_n and_o afterward_o at_o rome_n it_o be_v resolve_v in_o the_o negative_a upon_o this_o reason_n because_o in_o our_o circumstance_n it_o be_v signum_fw-la distinctivum_fw-la cultûs_fw-la a_o mark_n of_o distinction_n as_o to_o religious_a worship_n and_o therefore_o it_o be_v a_o act_n of_o special_a honour_n and_o service_n to_o god_n to_o forbear_v to_o abstain_v from_o pour_v out_o wine_n and_z throwing_z incense_n in_o the_o fire_n be_v in_o itself_o no_o act_n of_o worship_n but_o when_o the_o heathen_a emperor_n command_v the_o christian_n to_o do_v it_o in_o token_n of_o compliance_n with_o their_o religion_n their_o abstain_v then_o from_o it_o be_v a_o singular_a act_n of_o worship_n to_o god_n so_o in_o the_o present_a case_n when_o man_n be_v require_v by_o lawful_a authority_n to_o do_v thing_n which_o in_o themselves_o be_v lawful_a to_o testify_v their_o union_n and_o conjunction_n with_o we_o in_o religion_n their_o refusal_n in_o this_o case_n be_v a_o special_a act_n of_o worship_n and_o be_v without_o ground_n be_v nothing_o else_o but_o superstition_n 2._o when_o man_n value_v and_o esteem_v themselves_o as_o more_o holy_a and_o more_o in_o the_o favour_n of_o god_n on_o the_o account_n of_o such_o forbearance_n as_o the_o pharisee_n do_v on_o the_o account_n of_o their_o tradition_n who_o believe_v that_o god_n have_v no_o such_o people_n upon_o earth_n as_o they_o be_v and_o despise_v other_o who_o be_v far_o near_o to_o the_o kingdom_n of_o god_n than_o themselves_o as_o mere_a publican_n and_o sinner_n and_o it_o be_v very_o natural_a to_o mankind_n to_o set_v a_o great_a value_n upon_o themselves_o for_o the_o sake_n of_o their_o affect_a singularity_n in_o religion_n and_o in_o a_o transport_n of_o pride_n and_o vanity_n to_o tell_v god_n himself_o as_o the_o pharisee_n do_v that_o they_o be_v not_o like_o other_o man_n but_o this_o be_v a_o certain_a sign_n whatfoever_o they_o pretend_v that_o they_o look_v on_o the_o forbearance_n of_o the_o thing_n which_o other_o do_v as_o a_o part_n of_o holiness_n and_o if_o they_o do_v so_o it_o be_v undoubted_o superstition_n for_o on_o this_o ground_n we_o charge_v the_o papist_n with_o superstition_n in_o their_o ceremony_n because_o they_o place_v holiness_n in_o they_o it_o be_v true_a they_o say_v they_o be_v the_o instrument_n to_o convey_v some_o degree_n of_o holiness_n to_o they_o but_o this_o make_v no_o material_a difference_n for_o those_o who_o account_v themselves_o more_o in_o god_n esteem_n for_o the_o sake_n of_o such_o thing_n do_v attribute_v some_o real_a efficacy_n to_o such_o distinctive_a character_n of_o themselves_o as_o to_o the_o obtain_v the_o favour_n of_o god_n 3._o when_o they_o forbear_v necessary_a duty_n of_o religion_n rather_o than_o comply_v with_o other_o in_o lawful_a thing_n as_o communion_n with_o the_o church_n they_o live_v in_o in_o prayer_n and_o sacrament_n which_o can_v be_v deny_v to_o be_v necessary_a duty_n but_o if_o man_n resolve_v rather_o to_o forbear_v these_o than_o to_o join_v in_o such_o ceremony_n and_o prayer_n as_o do_v accompany_v the_o performance_n of_o they_o it_o be_v a_o sign_n they_o prefer_v the_o follow_v their_o own_o imagination_n before_o the_o join_n in_o communion_n with_o the_o church_n in_o the_o most_o unquestionable_a duty_n of_o religion_n as_o in_o the_o case_n of_o the_o encratitae_n of_o old_a who_o think_v it_o unlawful_a to_o taste_v of_o wine_n and_o therefore_o refuse_v to_o communicate_v in_o the_o eucharist_n unless_o they_o may_v have_v it_o in_o water_n alone_o be_v not_o this_o a_o great_a superstition_n in_o they_o rather_o to_o forbear_v communicate_v with_o the_o church_n than_o not_o to_o observe_v their_o own_o fancy_n in_o what_o they_o think_v most_o please_v to_o god_n as_o to_o the_o manner_n of_o do_v it_o now_o to_o apply_v this_o to_o our_o own_o case_n we_o be_v often_o blame_v for_o lay_v too_o great_a weight_n on_o the_o ceremony_n of_o this_o church_n but_o certain_o never_o any_o church_n lay_v less_o weight_n upon_o its_o own_o order_n suppose_v that_o it_o believe_v they_o to_o be_v just_a and_o reasonable_a it_o place_v no_o holiness_n no_o merit_n no_o efficacy_n in_o they_o as_o to_o the_o obtain_v the_o grace_n and_o favour_n of_o god_n it_o expect_v obedience_n only_o for_o order_n and_o peace-sake_n it_o have_v take_v great_a care_n by_o preface_n and_o canon_n and_o rubric_n to_o prevent_v any_o misinterpretation_n of_o its_o intention_n and_o design_n but_o on_o the_o other_o side_n those_o who_o dissent_v from_o we_o lay_v so_o great_a weight_n on_o their_o scruple_n that_o they_o will_v rather_o hazard_v break_v a_o church_n in_o piece_n ruine_v our_o religion_n by_o our_o difference_n lose_v all_o the_o benefit_n of_o communion_n with_o a_o church_n who_o doctrine_n they_o approve_v in_o all_o the_o duty_n of_o religious_a worship_n than_o they_o will_v yield_v to_o the_o allowance_n of_o those_o circumstance_n of_o our_o communion_n which_o our_o church_n require_v and_o now_o on_o which_o side_n the_o charge_n of_o superstition_n more_o just_o lie_v let_v all_o that_o be_v impartial_a judge_n so_o much_o i_o think_v necessary_a on_o this_o occasion_n to_o speak_v in_o vindication_n of_o our_o church_n from_o this_o common_a imputation_n of_o superstition_n by_o those_o who_o so_o little_o understand_v what_o it_o mean_v nothing_o now_o remain_v but_o to_o make_v application_n of_o all_o to_o ourselves_o you_o see_v how_o much_o mischief_n the_o show_n of_o wisdom_n be_v like_a to_o do_v in_o the_o apostolical_a church_n let_v we_o all_o have_v a_o care_n of_o be_v deceive_v by_o it_o it_o be_v long_o since_o observe_v by_o menander_n that_o thing_n which_o be_v like_o truth_n be_v more_o easy_o believe_v by_o the_o generality_n men._n of_o mankind_n than_o truth_n itself_o so_o i_o be_o afraid_a it_o be_v about_o religion_n which_o be_v the_o wisdomhere_o speak_v of_o that_o which_o make_v a_o great_a show_n of_o it_o to_o the_o world_n be_v more_o apt_a to_o prevail_v among_o person_n of_o weak_a and_o well_o dispose_v mind_n than_o true_a wisdom_n for_o the_o show_n of_o wisdom_n strike_v more_o upon_o the_o fancy_n and_o inclination_n of_o such_o person_n than_o sober_a calm_a and_o well-weighed_a religion_n which_o seem_v dull_a and_o flat_a to_o those_o who_o have_v more_o warmth_n and_o zeal_n than_o judgement_n and_o discretion_n and_o i_o do_v not_o at_o all_o