Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	civil_a	creature_n	great_a	79	3	2.0851	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48197	A letter to a member of Parliament, shewing, that a restraint on the press is inconsistent with the Protestant religion, and dangerous to the liberties of the nation	Tindal, Matthew, 1653?-1733.; Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731.	1698 (1698)	Wing L1680; ESTC R10914	22,249	32

by_o the_o help_n of_o the_o latter_a the_o clergy_n have_v get_v better_a ability_n as_o well_o as_o opportunity_n to_o impose_v on_o the_o understanding_n of_o the_o people_n and_o when_o man_n be_v once_o enslave_v in_o their_o understanding_n which_o of_o all_o thing_n ought_v to_o be_v most_o free_a it_o be_v scarce_a possible_a to_o preserve_v any_o other_o liberty_n the_o trust_v not_o only_o the_o pulpit_n but_o the_o press_n in_o the_o hand_n of_o the_o clergy_n be_v cause_v the_o blind_a to_o lead_v the_o blind_a because_o the_o generality_n of_o they_o be_v more_o likely_a to_o be_v guilty_a of_o a_o blind_a obedience_n than_o the_o laity_n since_o they_o be_v oblige_v as_o they_o value_v their_o subsistence_n right_a or_o wrong_n to_o assert_v those_o religious_a tenet_n they_o find_v establish_v by_o law_n the_o truth_n of_o which_o they_o can_v any_o more_o be_v presume_v to_o have_v impartial_o examine_v than_o a_o mercenary_a soldier_n the_o justice_n of_o the_o cause_n he_o be_v engage_v in_o be_v send_v by_o their_o friend_n to_o the_o university_n not_o to_o try_v the_o establish_a religion_n whether_o it_o be_v right_a or_o wrong_n but_o to_o profess_v it_o as_o a_o trade_n they_o be_v to_o earn_v their_o bread_n by_o and_o lest_o they_o shall_v examine_v it_o they_o be_v even_o before_o they_o be_v capable_a shackle_a with_o early_a oath_n and_o subscription_n which_o be_v the_o reason_n that_o the_o priest_n be_v wondrous_a hot_a in_o every_o country_n for_o the_o opinion_n to_o which_o their_o preferment_n be_v annex_v in_o one_o place_n fierce_a calvinist_n in_o another_o violent_a lutheran_n in_o a_o three_o bigoted_a papist_n which_o can_v not_o so_o universal_o happen_v do_v they_o in_o the_o least_o examine_v those_o opinion_n they_o be_v engage_v to_o profess_v and_o therefore_o there_o can_v be_v no_o reason_n to_o trust_v the_o press_n in_o hand_n of_o man_n so_o biased_a and_o prejudice_v who_o can_v but_o be_v high_o affront_v to_o see_v the_o laity_n do_v what_o they_o dare_v not_o judge_v for_o themselves_o and_o not_o be_v blind_o guide_v by_o they_o who_o poor_a man_n be_v not_o trust_v to_o guide_v themselves_o yet_o for_o all_o this_o extraordinary_a precaution_n to_o keep_v the_o clergy_n right_a and_o tight_a and_o the_o great_a disproportion_n of_o number_n between_o the_o laity_n and_o they_o it_o be_v evident_a that_o almost_o all_o the_o error_n and_o wrong_a notion_n in_o religion_n have_v have_v their_o rise_n and_o chief_a support_n from_o they_o so_o that_o upon_o the_o whole_a if_o the_o press_n shall_v be_v trust_v with_o any_o it_o ought_v to_o be_v with_o layman_n who_o have_v no_o power_n prerogatives_n or_o privilege_n to_o gain_v by_o pervert_v of_o scripture_n since_o they_o pretend_v to_o none_o but_o what_o they_o receive_v from_o the_o society_n though_o i_o can_v but_o presume_v that_o our_o legislator_n be_v there_o no_o other_o reason_n yet_o out_o of_o respect_n to_o the_o clergy_n will_v not_o enact_v such_o a_o law_n as_o suppose_v the_o great_a and_o most_o learned_a of_o they_o not_o fit_a to_o be_v trust_v with_o the_o print_n but_o a_o half-sheet_n in_o religion_n without_o consent_n of_o a_o lay_v licenser_n who_o be_v to_o have_v a_o arbitrary_a power_n over_o their_o work_n and_o there_o be_v no_o doubt_n but_o the_o clergy_n will_v high_o resent_v such_o a_o law_n though_o i_o can_v see_v but_o the_o appoint_v licenser_n whether_o of_o the_o laity_n or_o clergy_n equal_o reflect_v on_o their_o body_n because_o it_o equal_o suppose_v they_o be_v unfit_a to_o be_v trust_v but_o if_o they_o be_v content_a with_o that_o disgrace_n it_o must_v be_v because_o either_o they_o can_v defend_v themselves_o against-their_a adversary_n or_o that_o they_o have_v a_o mind_n to_o give_v themselves_o up_o to_o laziness_n and_o idleness_n and_o not_o trouble_v themselves_o with_o the_o laborious_a work_n of_o controversial_a divinity_n but_o i_o shall_v say_v no_o more_o on_o this_o point_n have_v already_o sufficient_o show_v how_o destructive_a the_o restrain_v the_o press_n be_v to_o religion_n which_o it_o can_v be_v without_o be_v in_o general_a prejudicial_a to_o civil_a society_n for_o who_o good_a it_o be_v institute_v but_o especial_o when_o it_o be_v pervert_v on_o purpose_n to_o enslave_v they_o and_o there_o never_o be_v a_o nation_n which_o lose_v their_o religious_a right_n that_o can_v long_o maintain_v their_o civil_a one_o for_o priestcraft_n and_o slavery_n go_v hand_n in_o hand_n therefore_o i_o shall_v be_v the_o short_a on_o what_o i_o have_v to_o say_v on_o a_o civil_a account_n especial_o consider_v that_o most_o of_o those_o reason_n that_o show_v how_o destructive_a a_o restraint_n of_o the_o press_n be_v to_o religious_a will_v equal_o prove_v it_o to_o be_v so_o in_o civil_a affair_n 16._o the_o great_a enjoyment_n that_o rational_a and_o sociable_a creature_n be_v capable_a of_o be_v to_o employ_v their_o thought_n on_o what_o subject_n they_o please_v and_o to_o communicate_v they_o to_o one_o another_o as_o free_o as_o they_o think_v they_o and_o herein_o consist_v the_o dignity_n and_o freedom_n of_o humane_a nature_n without_o which_o no_o other_o liberty_n can_v be_v secure_a for_o what_o be_v it_o that_o enable_v a_o few_o tyrant_n to_o keep_v almost_o all_o mankind_n in_o slavery_n but_o their_o narrow_a and_o wrong_a notion_n about_o government_n which_o be_v owe_v to_o the_o discouragement_n they_o lie_v under_o of_o mutual_o communicate_v and_o consequent_o of_o employ_v their_o thought_n on_o political_a matter_n which_o do_v they_o do_v it_o be_v impossible_a that_o the_o bulk_n of_o mankind_n shall_v have_v suffer_v themselves_o to_o be_v enslave_v from_o generation_n to_o generation_n but_o the_o art_n of_o state_n in_o most_o country_n be_v to_o enslave_v the_o people_n or_o to_o keep_v they_o in_o slavery_n it_o become_v a_o crime_n to_o talk_v much_o more_o to_o write_v about_o political_a matter_n and_o ever_o since_o printing_n have_v be_v invent_v there_o have_v be_v in_o most_o place_n state-licensers_a to_o hinder_v man_n from_o free_o write_v about_o government_n for_o which_o there_o can_v be_v no_o other_o reason_n but_o to_o prevent_v the_o defect_n of_o either_o the_o government_n or_o the_o management_n of_o it_o from_o be_v discover_v and_o amend_v 17._o fame_n reputation_n and_o honour_n as_o they_o be_v the_o great_a incentives_n to_o all_o good_a and_o virtuous_a action_n so_o they_o as_o much_o terrify_v man_n from_o commit_v base_a and_o unworthy_a one_o and_o it_o can_v be_v reasonable_o presume_v consider_v the_o general_a corruption_n of_o mankind_n but_o that_o the_o rich_a and_o powerful_a will_v frequent_o oppress_v those_o beneath_o they_o be_v they_o not_o afraid_a of_o lose_v their_o reputation_n and_o expose_v themselves_o either_o to_o the_o contempt_n or_o hatred_n of_o the_o people_n for_o this_o law_n of_o reputation_n if_o i_o may_v so_o call_v it_o influence_n man_n more_o than_o all_o other_o law_n whatever_o but_o if_o there_o be_v a_o licenser_n of_o the_o press_n he_o may_v be_v prevail_v on_o not_o only_o to_o hinder_v the_o injure_a from_o appeal_n to_o the_o people_n by_o publish_v their_o grievance_n but_o to_o license_v such_o story_n only_o as_o mercenary_a scribbler_n will_v write_v to_o justify_v the_o oppressor_n and_o to_o condemn_v the_o oppress_v which_o as_o it_o will_v be_v the_o great_a encouragement_n for_o those_o man_n that_o be_v above_o the_o ordinary_a remedy_n of_o law_n to_o crush_v who_o they_o please_v so_o it_o will_v be_v the_o high_a injustice_n to_o deny_v the_o injure_v the_o last_o satisfaction_n of_o justify_v their_o innocence_n to_o the_o world_n which_o will_v be_v sure_a to_o pass_v a_o just_a censure_n on_o the_o oppressor_n and_o this_o they_o will_v the_o more_o dread_a because_o if_o once_o they_o lose_v their_o credit_n with_o the_o people_n they_o will_v be_v very_o unfit_a instrument_n for_o a_o court_n to_o use_v therefore_o it_o be_v no_o wonder_n if_o all_o that_o make_v a_o ill_a use_n of_o their_o power_n especial_o those_o who_o have_v cheat_v the_o government_n as_o well_o as_o abuse_v the_o people_n do_v endeavour_n with_o all_o their_o might_n to_o have_v the_o press_v regulate_v leave_v their_o crime_n be_v expose_v in_o print_n may_v not_o only_o render_v they_o odious_a to_o the_o people_n but_o to_o the_o government_n in_o a_o word_n all_o sort_n of_o man_n who_o interest_n it_o be_v not_o to_o have_v their_o action_n expose_v to_o the_o public_a which_o i_o be_o afraid_a be_v no_o small_a number_n will_v be_v for_o restrain_v the_o press_n and_o perhaps_o will_v add_v iniquity_n to_o inquity_n by_o pretend_v they_o do_v it_o out_o of_o conscience_n to_o suppress_v immorality_n and_o profaneness_n 18._o but_o this_o be_v not_o