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Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
nature_n call_v law_n moral_a 2,598 5 9.2562 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A59544 A discourse concerning conscience wherein an account is given of the nature and rule and obligation of it : and the case of those who separate from the communion of the Church of England as by law established, upon this pretence, that it is against their conscience to join in it, is stated and discussed. Sharp, John, 1645-1714. 1684 (1684) Wing S2970; ESTC R17838 38,235 62

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he_o have_v be_v teach_v to_o believe_v that_o they_o be_v necessary_a duty_n and_o he_o can_v be_v a_o good_a catholic_n unless_o he_o thus_o worship_n image_n and_o saint_n and_o the_o bread_n of_o the_o host._n well_o now_o the_o point_n be_v whether_o such_o a_o man_n believe_v as_o he_o do_v be_v upon_o that_o account_n acquit_v from_o the_o sin_n of_o idolatry_n we_o all_o grant_v that_o if_o he_o have_v such_o clear_a information_n about_o these_o thing_n as_o we_o protestant_n have_v he_o will_v certain_o be_v a_o idolater_n if_o he_o shall_v contitinue_v in_o these_o practice_n but_o whether_o his_o belief_n and_o opinion_n and_o persuasion_n concern_v these_o thing_n do_v not_o excuse_v he_o and_o make_v that_o cease_v to_o be_v idolatry_n that_o will_v otherwise_o be_v so_o this_o i_o say_v be_v the_o question_n but_o yet_o none_o of_o we_o make_v any_o great_a question_n of_o it_o for_o we_o do_v charge_v the_o papist_n indiscriminate_o with_o idolatry_n in_o their_o worship_n notwithstanding_o their_o disclaim_n it_o notwithstanding_o their_o profession_n to_o worship_n god_n no_o otherwise_o than_o according_a to_o his_o own_o will_n notwithstanding_o they_o do_v real_o take_v themselves_o oblige_v in_o conscience_n to_o give_v divine_a worship_n to_o the_o consecrate_a element_n and_o those_o other_o object_n and_o we_o charge_v they_o right_o in_o this_o for_o if_o it_o be_v real_o idolatry_n by_o god_n word_n to_o do_v these_o thing_n than_o it_o will_v be_v idolatry_n in_o any_o man_n to_o do_v they_o let_v his_o opinion_n about_o they_o be_v what_o it_o will._n a_o man_n ignorance_n or_o mistake_v or_o false_a opinion_n do_v not_o alter_v the_o nature_n of_o thing_n it_o can_v neither_o make_v that_o cease_v to_o be_v a_o duty_n which_o god_n have_v command_v nor_o that_o cease_v to_o be_v a_o sin_n which_o god_n have_v forbid_v all_o that_o it_o will_v do_v be_v that_o according_a to_o the_o nature_n and_o circumstance_n of_o it_o it_o may_v more_o or_o less_o extenuate_v the_o transgression_n that_o be_v commit_v upon_o the_o account_n thereof_o and_o the_o case_n be_v just_a the_o same_o in_o the_o matter_n before_o we_o for_o any_o man_n to_o withdraw_v his_o communion_n from_o that_o church_n with_o which_o he_o ought_v and_o with_o which_o he_o may_v lawful_o communicate_v that_o be_v as_o proper_o the_o sin_n of_o schism_n as_o it_o be_v the_o sin_n of_o idolatry_n to_o give_v divine_a worship_n to_o that_o which_o be_v not_o god_n for_o any_o man_n therefore_o to_o break_v the_o unity_n of_o the_o church_n though_o it_o be_v upon_o this_o very_a account_n that_o he_o do_v believe_v it_o be_v his_o duty_n so_o to_o do_v or_o that_o he_o can_v communicate_v with_o that_o church_n without_o sin_n yet_o if_o this_o persuasion_n of_o his_o be_v false_a and_o erroneous_a he_o be_v no_o less_o a_o schismatic_a for_o all_o this_o than_o the_o other_o man_n be_v a_o idolater_n that_o think_v it_o his_o duty_n to_o adore_v image_n and_o those_o other_o undue_a object_n of_o divine_a worship_n among_o the_o romanist_n it_o be_v true_a the_o man_n ignorance_n or_o misperswasion_n will_n according_a to_o the_o great_a or_o less_o culpability_n of_o it_o more_o or_o less_o excuse_v the_o man_n person_n before_o god_n as_o it_o do_v in_o the_o other_o case_n but_o it_o can_v in_o the_o least_o make_v that_o which_o god_n have_v make_v to_o be_v schism_n to_o be_v no_o schism_n no_o more_o than_o in_o the_o other_o case_n it_o make_v that_o to_o be_v no_o idolatry_n which_o god_n word_n have_v declare_v to_o be_v idolatry_n well_o now_o admit_v all_o this_o here_o come_v the_o pinch_n of_o the_o thing_n it_o will_v be_v say_v what_o will_v you_o have_v a_o man_n do_v in_o this_o case_n he_o can_v conform_v with_o a_o safe_a conscience_n and_o yet_o he_o be_v a_o transgressor_n if_o he_o do_v not_o if_o he_o comply_v against_o his_o conscience_n you_o grant_v he_o be_v guilty_a of_o sin_n in_o so_o do_v if_o he_o do_v not_o comply_v than_o you_o say_v he_o be_v a_o schismatic_a and_o so_o be_v a_o sinner_n upon_o that_o account_n why_o to_o this_o i_o say_v that_o both_o these_o thing_n be_v often_o true_a and_o here_o be_v that_o dilemma_n which_o man_n by_o suffer_v their_o mind_n to_o be_v abuse_v with_o evil_a principle_n and_o persuasion_n do_v frequent_o run_v themselves_o into_o they_o be_v reduce_v to_o that_o extremity_n that_o they_o can_v neither_o act_n nor_o forbear_v act_v they_o can_v neither_o obey_v nor_o disobey_v without_o sin_n but_o what_o be_v to_o be_v do_v in_o this_o case_n i_o know_v nothing_o but_o this_o that_o all_o imaginable_a care_n be_v to_o be_v take_v that_o the_o error_n and_o false_a principle_n which_o mislead_v the_o man_n be_v depose_v and_o that_o his_o judgement_n be_v better_a inform_v and_o then_o he_o may_v both_o do_v his_o duty_n which_o god_n law_n require_v of_o he_o and_o avoid_v sin_v against_o his_o conscience_n but_o how_o be_v this_o to_o be_v do_v why_o no_o other_o way_n but_o by_o use_v conscientious_o all_o those_o mean_n which_o common_a prudence_n will_v recommend_v to_o a_o man_n for_o the_o gain_v instruction_n and_o information_n to_o himself_o about_o any_o point_n that_o he_o desire_v thorough_o to_o understand_v that_o be_v to_o say_v free_v his_o mind_n from_o all_o pride_n and_o passion_n and_o interest_n and_o all_o other_o carnal_a prepossession_n and_o apply_v himself_o serious_o and_o impartial_o to_o the_o get_v right_a notion_n and_o sentiment_n about_o his_o duty_n in_o these_o matter_n consider_v without_o prejudice_n what_o can_v be_v say_v on_o both_o side_n call_v in_o the_o best_a assistance_n of_o the_o able_a and_o wise_a man_n that_o he_o can_v come_v by_o and_o above_o all_o thing_n serious_o endeavour_v to_o understand_v the_o nature_n and_o spirit_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n and_o to_o practise_v all_o that_o he_o be_v undoubted_o convince_v to_o be_v his_o duty_n and_o for_o the_o matter_n in_o question_n most_o earnest_o implore_v the_o assistance_n of_o god_n spirit_n to_o guide_v and_o direct_v he_o well_o but_o suppose_v a_o man_n have_v endeavour_v to_o inform_v his_o judgement_n as_o well_o as_o he_o can_v and_o have_v use_v all_o those_o prudent_a mean_n that_o be_v in_o his_o power_n to_o satisfy_v himself_o of_o the_o lawfulness_n of_o our_o communion_n but_o yet_o after_o all_o he_o be_v of_o the_o same_o persuasion_n that_o he_o be_v viz._n that_o he_o can_v join_v in_o our_o worship_n without_o sin_n what_o will_v we_o say_v to_o such_o a_o man_n as_o this_o will_v we_o still_o say_v that_o this_o man_n must_v either_o conform_v though_o against_o his_o conscience_n or_o he_o be_v a_o schismatic_a before_o god_n this_o be_v the_o great_a difficulty_n and_o i_o have_v two_o thing_n to_o say_v to_o it_o in_o the_o first_o place_n we_o do_v hearty_o wish_v that_o this_o be_v the_o case_n of_o all_o or_o of_o the_o most_o of_o our_o dissenter_n viz._n that_o they_o have_v do_v what_o they_o can_v to_o satisfy_v themselves_o about_o our_o communion_n for_o if_o it_o be_v i_o do_v very_o persuade_v myself_o that_o there_o will_v present_o be_v a_o end_n of_o all_o those_o much_o to_o be_v lament_v schism_n and_o division_n which_o do_v now_o give_v so_o much_o scandal_n to_o all_o good_a man_n and_o threaten_v the_o ruin_n of_o our_o reform_a religion_n and_o this_o poor_a church_n of_o england_n which_o have_v so_o long_o labour_v and_o groan_v under_o the_o furious_a attacques_n that_o have_v be_v make_v upon_o she_o by_o enemy_n without_o and_o enemy_n within_o her_o own_o bowel_n will_v in_o a_o little_a time_n be_v perfect_o set_v free_a from_o all_o apprehension_n of_o danger_n at_o the_o least_o from_o the_o one_o sort_n of_o her_o adversary_n if_o all_o our_o brethren_n of_o the_o separation_n will_v most_o serious_o follow_v after_o the_o thing_n that_o make_v for_o peace_n and_o walk_v by_o the_o same_o rule_n as_o far_o as_o they_o be_v able_a and_o in_o thing_n where_o they_o be_v otherwise_o mind_v will_v religious_o apply_v themselves_o to_o god_n for_o direction_n and_o to_o the_o use_n of_o prudent_a mean_n for_o satisfaction_n i_o doubt_v not_o but_o the_o face_n of_o thing_n will_v present_o be_v change_v among_o we_o and_o we_o shall_v hear_v no_o more_o of_o any_o division_n or_o schism_n in_o our_o nation_n that_o be_v either_o dangerous_a to_o the_o church_n or_o to_o the_o salvation_n of_o the_o man_n that_o be_v concern_v in_o it_o but_o alas_o we_o fear_v we_o have_v too_o great_a reason_n to_o say_v that_o the_o generality_n of_o our_o dissent_v brethren_n even_o those_o of_o they_o that_o plead_v conscience_n for_o their_o separation_n have_v not_o do_v