Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	canon_n	council_n	nice_a	2,852	5	10.4936	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41298	A Defence of dramatick poetry being a review of Mr. Collier's View of the immorality and profaneness of the stage.	Filmer, Edward, b. ca. 1657.; Settle, Elkanah, 1648-1724.; Rymer, Thomas, 1641-1713.; Vanbrugh, John, Sir, 1664-1726.	1698 (1698)	Wing F905; ESTC R16098	47,476	128

therefore_o be_v it_o to_o be_v doubt_v but_o that_o this_o unseasonable_a inclination_n of_o the_o christian_n for_o play_n go_v a_o great_a way_n in_o the_o father_n passionate_a declamation_n against_o they_o and_o undoubted_o to_o check_v the_o christian_a fondness_n in_o that_o case_n push_v they_o upon_o the_o necessity_n of_o enlarge_n upon_o that_o strong_a argument_n viz._n the_o unlawfulness_n of_o play_n where_o the_o weak_a one_o the_o indecency_n of_o see_v they_o will_v not_o prevail_v nay_o as_o clemens_n alexandrinus_n join_v the_o circus_n and_o the_o theatre_n together_o when_o he_o say_v they_o may_v not_o improper_o be_v call_v the_o chair_n of_o pestilence_n do_v not_o therefore_o the_o bloody_a gladiator_n the_o profession_n of_o the_o murder_n at_o the_o prize_n as_o minutius_n foelix_n call_v it_o the_o secular_a game_n and_o the_o pantomimi_fw-la and_o all_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o more_o licentious_a and_o barbarous_a heathen_a entertainment_n go_v a_o great_a way_n in_o the_o condemnation_n of_o the_o more_o innocent_a play_n whilst_o the_o stage_n suffer_v with_o the_o ill_a company_n it_o keep_v all_o those_o horrid_a diversion_n be_v at_o the_o same_o time_n support_v by_o the_o tyrant_n pagan_a emperor_n nay_o do_v not_o the_o very_a christian_a horror_n of_o those_o heathen_a tyrant_n the_o patron_n of_o those_o play_n go_v a_o great_a way_n with_o these_o father_n to_o the_o condemnation_n of_o the_o feast_n for_o the_o founder_n sake_n and_o therefore_o be_v all_o this_o vehemence_n though_o to_o a_o stretch_n of_o argument_n and_o the_o rack_a of_o reason_n against_o they_o any_o thing_n to_o be_v wonder_v at_o suppose_v we_o can_v parallel_v the_o same_o modern_a case_n be_v there_o for_o instance_n any_o such_o diversion_n as_o play_n among_o the_o turk_n will_v not_o the_o grecian_a patriarch_n be_v as_o tender_a of_o the_o christian_n mix_v in_o that_o diversion_n more_o especial_o if_o our_o mahometan_n be_v like_o their_o heathen_n a_o spirit_n of_o persecution_n why_o then_o be_v all_o these_o primitive_a champion_n bring_v down_o to_o battle_n our_o theatre_n when_o their_o whole_a ground_n of_o quarrel_n and_o foundation_n of_o complaint_n be_v so_o foreign_a to_o the_o present_a state_n of_o the_o english_a stage_n next_o we_o will_v examine_v the_o short_a account_n he_o pretend_v to_o give_v we_o of_o the_o council_n of_o the_o primitive_a church_n concern_v the_o stage_n the_o council_n of_o illiberis_n or_o collioure_fw-fr decree_v that_o it_o shall_v not_o be_v lawful_a for_o any_o woman_n who_o be_v either_o in_o full_a communion_n or_o a_o probationer_n for_o baptism_n to_o marry_v or_o entertain_v any_o comedian_n or_o actor_n who_o take_v this_o liberty_n shall_v be_v excommunicate_v anno_fw-la 305._o can._n 67._o the_o first_o council_n of_o arles_n excommunicate_v player_n as_o long_o as_o they_o continue_v to_o act_n anno_fw-la 314._o can._n 5._o the_o second_o council_n of_o arles_n make_v their_o 20_o canon_n to_o the_o same_o purpose_n and_o almost_o in_o the_o same_o word_n anno_fw-la 452._o the_o three_o council_n of_o carthage_n of_o which_o st._n augustine_n be_v a_o member_n ordain_v that_o the_o son_n of_o bishop_n or_o other_o clergyman_n shall_v not_o be_v permit_v to_o furnish_v out_o public_a show_n or_o play_n or_o be_v present_a at_o they_o such_o sort_n of_o pagan_a entertainment_n be_v forbid_v the_o laity_n it_o be_v always_o unlawful_a for_o all_o christian_n to_o come_v among_o blasphemer_n by_o the_o 35th_o canon_n of_o this_o council_n it_o be_v decree_v that_o actor_n or_o other_o belong_v to_o the_o stage_n who_o be_v either_o convert_v or_o penitent_n etc._n etc._n shall_v not_o be_v deny_v admission_n in_o the_o church_n which_o our_o author_n remark_n be_v a_o proof_n that_o player_n as_o long_o as_o they_o keep_v to_o their_o employment_n be_v bar_v communion_n another_o african_a council_n declare_v that_o the_o testimony_n of_o people_n of_o ill_a reputation_n of_o player_n and_o other_o of_o such_o scandalous_a employment_n shall_v not_o be_v admit_v against_o any_o person_n anno_fw-la 424._o can._n 96._o the_o second_o council_n of_o chaalon_n set_v forth_o that_o clergyman_n ought_v to_o abstain_v from_o all_o over-engaging_a entertainment_n in_o music_n or_o show_v oculorum_fw-la auriumque_fw-la illecebris_fw-la and_o as_o for_o the_o smutty_n and_o licentious_a insolence_n of_o player_n and_o buffoon_n let_v they_o not_o only_o decline_v the_o hear_n it_o themselves_o but_o likewise_o conclude_v the_o laity_n oblige_v to_o the_o same_o conduct_n anno_fw-la 813._o can._n 9_o i_o have_v here_o recite_v his_o authority_n of_o the_o council_n of_o the_o church_n at_o this_o full_a length_n as_o afford_v matter_n for_o several_a serious_a reflection_n and_o weighty_a consideration_n first_o than_o it_o appear_v by_o the_o express_a word_n of_o the_o council_n of_o carthage_n that_o the_o comedy_n then_o act_v be_v pagan_a entertainment_n and_o general_o perform_v by_o pagan_n viz._n blasphemer_n and_o for_o certain_a be_v the_o composition_n of_o the_o heathen_a poet_n for_o we_o have_v no_o record_n or_o mention_v of_o any_o christian_a poet_n that_o compile_v or_o write_v any_o theatrical_a representation_n for_o have_v there_o be_v any_o such_o christian_a author_n his_o name_n at_o least_o if_o not_o some_o of_o his_o work_n will_v in_o all_o likelihood_n have_v be_v transmit_v to_o posterity_n as_o well_o as_o so_o many_o of_o the_o dramatic_a labour_n of_o the_o heathen_a poet_n beside_o have_v there_o be_v any_o such_o dramatic_a christian_a writer_n undoubted_o the_o several_a council_n that_o prohibit_v the_o performance_n of_o play_n and_o express_o forbid_v the_o furnish_n or_o dress_v out_o of_o show_n or_o play_n will_v have_v much_o more_o particular_o reprimand_v the_o more_o capital_a offender_n viz._n the_o compiler_n and_o composer_n of_o such_o entertainment_n it_o be_v their_o equal_a duty_n and_o caution_n to_o crush_v the_o egg_n as_o the_o cockatrice_n nevertheless_o though_o play_v then_o stand_v upon_o that_o heathenish_a bottom_n however_o the_o christian_n be_v apt_a not_o only_o to_o entertain_v comedian_n and_o actor_n but_o personal_o themselves_o to_o be_v actor_n nay_o and_o in_o those_o very_a heathen_a composition_n now_o here_o be_v occasion_n of_o just_a complaint_n in_o those_o divine_a assembly_n the_o council_n of_o the_o church_n against_o this_o practice_n of_o the_o christian_n be_v the_o matter_n of_o play_v itself_o never_o so_o innocent_a for_o much_o the_o same_o reproach_n though_o not_o the_o same_o apology_n lie_v against_o they_o as_o the_o jew_n throw_v upon_o our_o saviour_n viz._n for_o consort_a with_o publican_n and_o sinner_n christianity_n in_o those_o day_n be_v in_o its_o morning_n the_o sun_n of_o righteousness_n have_v not_o full_o dispel_v the_o heathen_a darkness_n and_o ignorance_n the_o christian_n have_v the_o unconvert_v heathen_a every_n where_o round_o they_o and_o as_o the_o great_a work_n of_o call_v in_o the_o fullness_n of_o the_o gentile_n be_v not_o yet_o perfect_v it_o may_v reasonable_o give_v offence_n to_o the_o father_n of_o the_o church_n and_o raise_v some_o shadow_n of_o fear_n that_o the_o christian_a condescension_n to_o intermix_v in_o the_o pagan_a diversion_n and_o vanity_n viz._n their_o play_n and_o those_o original_o too_o of_o a_o idolatrous_a foundation_n may_v give_v that_o reputation_n or_o at_o least_o that_o countenance_n to_o infidelity_n as_o possible_o may_v in_o some_o measure_n retard_v the_o great_a work_n of_o universal_a conversion_n now_o as_o all_o these_o council_n commence_v from_o the_o begin_n of_o the_o four_o century_n at_o or_o after_o the_o administration_n of_o the_o roman_a empire_n be_v lodge_v in_o the_o hand_n of_o christian_a prince_n those_o primitive_a royal_a son_n of_o the_o church_n those_o champion_n of_o the_o faith_n that_o will_v never_o be_v want_v in_o their_o utmost_a zeal_n and_o industry_n to_o propagate_v the_o gospel_n of_o truth_n here_o i_o say_v it_o will_v afford_v a_o matter_n of_o the_o nice_a speculation_n viz._n how_o player_n and_o play_v shall_v lie_v under_o this_o public_a censure_n of_o the_o church_n and_o yet_o act_v itself_o continue_v unsilence_v and_o unsuppress_v by_o so_o many_o successive_a christian_a emperor_n that_o it_o keep_v all_o this_o while_n so_o unsuppress_v be_v plain_a and_o evident_a otherwise_o why_o so_o many_o repeat_v decree_n of_o council_n against_o they_o if_o the_o occasion_n of_o offence_n viz._n play_v itself_o have_v not_o continue_v nor_o can_v it_o be_v suppose_v have_v play_v be_v very_o much_o offensive_a or_o have_v but_o half_a the_o black_a colour_n mr._n collier_n have_v lay_v upon_o it_o but_o that_o some_o ghostly_a counsellor_n will_v have_v advise_v those_o emperor_n to_o such_o a_o suppression_n of_o the_o stage_n and_o undoubted_o they_o have_v listen_v to_o such_o advice_n their_o power_n of_o put_v such_o