Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	church_n	great_a	rome_n	2,890	5	6.5165	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62619	Sermons concerning the divinity and incarnation of our blessed Saviour preached in the Church of St. Lawrence Jewry by John, late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.	Tillotson, John, 1630-1694.	1695 (1695)	Wing T1255A; ESTC R35216	99,884	305

nothing_o when_o any_o person_n or_o party_n be_v concern_v to_o oppose_v any_o doctrine_n contain_v in_o it_o and_o the_o plain_a text_n for_o any_o article_n of_o faith_n how_o fundamental_a and_o necessary_a soever_o may_v by_o the_o same_o art_n and_o way_n of_o interpretation_n be_v elude_v and_o render_v utter_o ineffectual_a for_o the_o establish_n of_o it_o for_o example_n if_o any_o man_n have_v a_o mind_n to_o call_v in_o question_n that_o article_n of_o the_o creed_n concern_v the_o creation_n of_o the_o world_n why_o may_v he_o not_o according_a to_o socinus_n his_o way_n of_o interpret_n st._n john_n understand_v the_o first_o chapter_n of_o genesis_n concern_v the_o beginning_n of_o the_o moysaicall_a dispensation_n and_o interpret_v the_o creation_n of_o the_o heaven_n and_o the_o earth_n to_o be_v the_o institution_n of_o the_o jewish_a polity_n and_o religion_n as_o by_o the_o new_a heaven_n and_o the_o new_a earth_n they_o pretend_v be_v to_o be_v understand_v the_o new_a state_n of_o thing_n under_o the_o gospel_n and_o why_o may_v not_o the_o chaos_n signify_v that_o state_n of_o darkness_n and_o ignorance_n in_o which_o the_o world_n be_v before_o the_o give_n of_o the_o law_n by_o moses_n and_o so_o on_o worcester_n as_o a_o very_a learned_a divine_a of_o our_o own_o have_v ingenious_o show_v more_o at_o large_a there_o be_v no_o end_n of_o wit_n and_o fancy_n which_o can_v turn_v any_o thing_n any_o way_n and_o can_v make_v whatever_o they_o please_v to_o be_v the_o meaning_n of_o any_o book_n though_o never_o so_o contrary_a to_o the_o plain_a design_n of_o it_o and_o to_o that_o sense_n which_o at_o the_o first_o hear_v and_o read_v of_o it_o be_v obvious_a to_o every_o man_n of_o common_a sense_n and_o this_o in_o my_o opinion_n socinus_n have_v do_v in_o the_o case_n now_o before_o we_o by_o impose_v a_o new_a and_o odd_a and_o violent_a sense_n upon_o this_o passage_n of_o st._n john_n direct_o contrary_a to_o what_o any_o man_n will_v imagine_v to_o be_v the_o plain_a and_o obvious_a meaning_n of_o it_o and_o contrary_a likewise_o to_o the_o sense_n of_o the_o christian_a church_n in_o all_o age_n down_o to_o his_o time_n who_o yet_o have_v as_o great_a or_o great_a advantage_n of_o understanding_n st._n john_n aright_o and_o as_o much_o integrity_n as_o any_o man_n can_v now_o modest_o pretend_v to_o and_o all_o this_o only_a to_o serve_v and_o support_v a_o opinion_n which_o he_o have_v entertain_v before_o and_o therefore_o be_v resolve_v one_o way_n or_o other_o to_o bring_v the_o scripture_n to_o comply_v with_o it_o and_o if_o he_o can_v not_o have_v do_v it_o it_o be_v great_o to_o be_v fear_v that_o he_o will_v at_o last_o have_v call_v in_o question_n the_o divine_a authority_n of_o st._n john_n gospel_n rather_o than_o have_v quit_v his_o opinion_n and_o to_o speak_v free_o i_o must_v needs_o say_v that_o it_o seem_v to_o i_o a_o much_o fair_a way_n to_o reject_v the_o divine_a authority_n of_o a_o book_n than_o to_o use_v it_o so_o disingenuous_o and_o to_o wrest_v the_o plain_a expression_n of_o it_o with_o so_o much_o strain_v and_o violence_n from_o their_o most_o natural_a and_o obvious_a sense_n for_o no_o doctrine_n whatsever_v can_v have_v any_o certain_a foundation_n in_o any_o book_n if_o this_o liberty_n be_v once_o admit_v without_o regard_n to_o the_o plain_a scope_n and_o occasion_n of_o it_o to_o play_v upon_o the_o word_n and_o phrase_n with_o all_o the_o art_n of_o criticism_n and_o with_o all_o the_o variety_n of_o allegory_n which_o a_o brisk_a and_o lively_a imagination_n can_v devise_v which_o i_o be_o so_o far_o from_o admire_v in_o the_o expound_v of_o the_o holy_a scripture_n that_o i_o be_o always_o jealous_a of_o a_o over-laboured_a and_o far-fetched_a interpretation_n of_o any_o author_n whatsoever_o i_o do_v ready_o grant_v that_o the_o socinian_n writer_n have_v manage_v the_o cause_n of_o the_o reformation_n against_o the_o innovation_n and_o corruption_n of_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n both_o in_o doctrine_n and_o practice_n with_o great_a acuteness_n and_o advantage_n in_o many_o respect_n but_o i_o be_o sorry_a to_o have_v cause_n to_o say_v that_o they_o have_v likewise_o put_v into_o their_o hand_n better_a and_o sharp_a weapon_n than_o ever_o they_o have_v before_o for_o the_o weaken_n and_o undermine_v of_o the_o authority_n of_o the_o h._n scripture_n which_o socinus_n indeed_o have_v in_o the_o general_a strong_o assert_v have_v he_o not_o by_o a_o dangerous_a liberty_n of_o impose_v a_o foreign_a and_o foree_v sense_n upon_o particular_a text_n bring_v the_o whole_a into_o uncertainty_n three_o which_o be_v as_o considerable_a a_o prejudice_n against_o this_o new_a interpretation_n of_o this_o passage_n of_o st._n john_n as_o either_o of_o the_o former_a i_o shall_v endeavour_v to_o show_v that_o this_o point_n of_o the_o existence_n of_o the_o word_n before_o his_o incarnation_n do_v not_o rely_v only_o upon_o this_o single_a passage_n of_o st._n john_n but_o be_v likewise_o confirm_v by_o many_o other_o text_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n conspire_v in_o the_o same_o sense_n and_o utter_o incapable_a of_o the_o interpretation_n which_o socinus_n give_v of_o it_o i_o find_v he_o will_v be_v glad_a to_o have_v it_o take_v for_o grant_v that_o this_o be_v the_o only_a text_n in_o the_o new_a testament_n to_o this_o purpose_n and_o therefore_o he_o say_v very_o cunning_o that_o this_o doctrine_n of_o the_o existence_n of_o the_o son_n of_o god_n before_o his_o incarnation_n be_v too_o great_a a_o doctrine_n to_o be_v establish_v upon_o one_o single_a text_n and_o this_o be_v be_v something_o if_o it_o be_v true_a that_o there_o be_v no_o other_o text_n in_o the_o new_a testament_n that_o do_v plain_o deliver_v the_o same_o sense_n and_o yet_o this_o be_v not_o sufficient_a to_o bring_v in_o question_n the_o doctrine_n deliver_v in_o this_o passage_n of_o st._n john_n that_o god_n be_v a_o spirit_n will_v i_o hope_v be_v acknowledge_v to_o be_v a_o very_a weighty_a and_o fundamental_a point_n of_o religion_n and_o yet_o i_o be_o very_o much_o mistake_v if_o there_o be_v any_o more_o than_o one_o text_n in_o the_o whole_a bible_n that_o say_v so_o and_o that_o text_n be_v only_o in_o st._n john_n gospel_n i_o know_v it_o may_v be_v say_v that_o from_o the_o light_n of_o natural_a reason_n it_o may_v be_v sufficient_o prove_v that_o god_n be_v a_o spirit_n but_o sure_o socinus_n of_o all_o man_n can_v say_v this_o with_o a_o good_a grace_n because_o he_o deny_v that_o the_o existence_n of_o a_o god_n can_v be_v know_v by_o natural_a light_n without_o divine_a revelation_n and_o if_o it_o can_v be_v know_v by_o natural_a light_n that_o there_o be_v a_o god_n much_o less_o can_v it_o be_v know_v by_o natural_a light_n what_o god_n be_v whether_o a_o spirit_n or_o a_o body_n and_o yet_o after_o all_o it_o be_v very_o far_o from_o be_v true_a that_o there_o be_v but_o one_o text_n to_o this_o purpose_n which_o yet_o he_o think_v fit_a to_o insinuate_v by_o way_n of_o excuse_n for_o the_o novelty_n and_o boldness_n of_o his_o interpretation_n of_o which_o any_o one_o that_o read_v he_o may_v see_v that_o he_o be_v sufficient_o conscious_a to_o himself_o and_o therefore_o be_v so_o wise_a as_o to_o endeavour_v by_o this_o sly_a insinuation_n to_o provide_v and_o lay_v in_o against_o it_o i_o have_v likewise_o another_o reason_n which_o very_o much_o incline_v i_o to_o believe_v that_o socinus_n be_v the_o first_o author_n of_o this_o interpretation_n because_o it_o seem_v to_o i_o next_o to_o impossible_a that_o a_o man_n of_o so_o good_a a_o understanding_n as_o he_o be_v can_v ever_o have_v be_v so_o fond_a of_o so_o ill-favoured_a a_o child_n if_o it_o have_v not_o be_v his_o own_o and_o yet_o i_o do_v not_o at_o all_o wonder_n that_o his_o follower_n come_v in_o to_o it_o so_o ready_o since_o they_o have_v he_o in_o so_o great_a a_o veneration_n it_o be_v natural_a to_o all_o sect_n to_o admire_v their_o master_n beside_o that_o i_o doubt_v not_o but_o they_o be_v very_o glad_a to_o have_v so_o great_a a_o authority_n as_o they_o think_v he_o to_o be_v to_o vouch_v for_o a_o interpretation_n which_o be_v so_o seasonable_o devise_v for_o the_o relief_n of_o their_o cause_n in_o so_o much_o danger_n to_o be_v overthrow_v by_o a_o text_n that_o be_v so_o plain_a and_o full_a against_o they_o and_o how_o little_a ground_n there_o be_v for_o this_o insinuation_n that_o this_o be_v the_o only_a text_n in_o the_o new_a testament_n to_o this_o purpose_n i_o shall_v now_o show_v from_o a_o multitude_n of_o other_o text_n to_o the_o same_o sense_n and_o purpose_n with_o this_o passage_n of_o st._n john_n and_o i_o shall_v rank_v they_o under_o