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Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
nature_n evil_a evil_n good_a 8,805 5 4.1675 3 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A61608 A sermon preach'd before the King, Feb. 24, 1674/5 by Ed. Stillingfleet ... Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. 1675 (1675) Wing S5647; ESTC R5021 22,002 48

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the_o stage_n as_o act_v all_o manner_n of_o villainy_n and_o no_o doubt_n they_o think_v it_o a_o great_a comfort_n to_o they_o in_o their_o debauchery_n that_o their_o god_n be_v as_o good_a fellow_n as_o themselves_o and_o what_o can_v all_o the_o precept_n of_o philosopher_n or_o say_n of_o wise_a man_n signify_v to_o those_o who_o be_v so_o far_o from_o look_v on_o virtue_n as_o any_o necessary_a part_n of_o their_o religion_n that_o they_o think_v those_o fit_n to_o be_v worship_v for_o god_n who_o they_o never_o believe_v to_o have_v be_v good_a man_n 2._o when_o they_o have_v thus_o render_v virtue_n unnecessary_a by_o make_v it_o no_o part_n of_o their_o religion_n the_o next_o thing_n be_v to_o make_v it_o appear_v ridiculous_a which_o be_v a_o certain_a way_n to_o make_v fool_n out_o of_o love_n with_o it_o who_o do_v not_o consider_v what_o be_v fit_a to_o be_v laugh_v at_o but_o what_o be_v so_o when_o socrates_n at_o athens_n undertake_v with_o many_o sharp_a and_o cut_a 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as_o though_o god_n be_v more_o concern_v for_o the_o colour_n and_o age_n and_o pomp_n of_o their_o sacrifice_n for_o the_o gesture_n and_o show_n of_o their_o devotion_n than_o for_o the_o purity_n of_o their_o heart_n the_o sincerity_n of_o their_o mind_n or_o the_o holiness_n of_o their_o life_n when_o once_o the_o people_n have_v swallow_v that_o pernicious_a principle_n that_o morality_n be_v no_o part_n of_o their_o religion_n they_o have_v no_o great_a regard_n to_o the_o good_a or_o evil_n of_o their_o action_n as_o long_o as_o a_o little_a charge_n and_o four_o look_n and_o go_v to_o their_o temple_n at_o certain_a time_n be_v think_v sufficient_a to_o expiate_v their_o sin_n and_o they_o be_v much_o more_o encourage_v in_o wickedness_n when_o the_o god_n they_o worship_v be_v represent_v on_o
present_o repent_v and_o resolve_v never_o to_o be_v guilty_a again_o of_o the_o same_o folly_n as_o in_o all_o reason_n it_o ought_v to_o do_v then_o by_o time_n and_o company_n he_o wear_v off_o the_o impression_n of_o his_o guilt_n and_o the_o next_o occasion_n of_o sin_v make_v he_o forget_v the_o wound_n of_o his_o conscience_n and_o the_o smart_n he_o endure_v before_o and_o the_o fresh_a temptation_n revive_v the_o sense_n of_o his_o former_a pleasure_n and_o then_o he_o be_v able_a to_o withstand_v no_o long_o and_o thus_o by_o repeat_v the_o same_o act_n by_o degree_n he_o become_v a_o very_a hopeful_a sinner_n and_o the_o report_n of_o his_o conscience_n be_v but_o like_o that_o of_o sound_n at_o a_o great_a distance_n they_o lessen_v still_o more_o and_o more_o till_o at_o last_o they_o can_v be_v hear_v at_o all_o and_o when_o he_o have_v thus_o master_v his_o conscience_n as_o to_o any_o one_o sin_n which_o at_o first_o he_o be_v fearful_a of_o commit_v and_o have_v find_v such_o a_o ice_n upon_o his_o conscience_n as_o will_v bear_v he_o he_o go_v on_o still_o far_o and_o far_o till_o nothing_o be_v too_o hard_a for_o he_o he_o that_o at_o first_o start_v and_o tremble_v at_o the_o hear_n of_o a_o horrid_a oath_n now_o can_v hear_v whole_a volley_n of_o they_o discharge_v without_o shrink_v and_o can_v bear_v his_o part_n in_o that_o hellish_a concert_n and_o he_o that_o be_v so_o hardly_o bring_v to_o be_v wicked_a himself_o may_v in_o a_o little_a time_n as_o some_o man_n be_v strange_a proficient_o in_o wickedness_n tempt_v and_o encourage_v other_o to_o the_o practice_n of_o it_o 3._o and_o when_o man_n be_v arrive_v to_o a_o habitual_a continuance_n in_o sin_n then_o for_o their_o present_a ease_n and_o security_n they_o cast_v about_o for_o any_o way_n to_o defend_v it_o for_o whatever_o be_v become_v of_o conscience_n they_o may_v have_v such_o a_o sense_n of_o reputation_n leave_v that_o they_o will_v not_o be_v think_v fool_n and_o be_v contemn_v and_o despise_v by_o other_o but_o although_o it_o be_v impossible_a for_o such_o to_o avoid_v scorn_n and_o contempt_n among_o all_o those_o who_o have_v any_o true_a regard_n to_o virtue_n or_o honour_n yet_o they_o will_v endeavour_v rather_o to_o defend_v themselves_o in_o do_v ill_a than_o recover_v their_o reputation_n by_o repentance_n and_o because_o it_o will_v puzzle_v the_o wit_n of_o the_o most_o subtle_a and_o concern_v person_n to_o find_v out_o pretence_n and_o excuse_n for_o some_o kind_n of_o sin_n therefore_o the_o easy_a way_n be_v to_o represent_v all_o the_o world_n as_o alike_o bad_a although_o not_o alike_o cunning_a and_o although_o it_o may_v be_v not_o in_o the_o same_o way_n yet_o in_o something_o as_o ill_a in_o itself_o but_o more_o agreeable_a to_o their_o age_n temper_n and_o condition_n of_o life_n thus_o the_o great_a sinner_n love_v to_o herd_n themselves_o in_o a_o crowd_n and_o think_v it_o some_o poor_a defence_n for_o their_o sin_n that_o they_o will_v have_v other_o believe_v to_o be_v as_o bad_a as_o they_o as_o though_o a_o man_n be_v in_o the_o less_o danger_n by_o the_o plague_n because_o it_o be_v a_o general_a contagion_n but_o if_o it_o happen_v that_o some_o person_n in_o the_o world_n shall_v have_v any_o reputation_n for_o virtue_n among_o they_o than_o all_o the_o weakness_n and_o indiscretion_n of_o such_o be_v sure_a to_o be_v inquire_v after_o that_o so_o what_o be_v account_v virtue_n may_v be_v think_v only_o natural_a sourness_n of_o temper_n or_o want_v of_o wit_n to_o be_v otherwise_o but_o if_o any_o such_o shall_v be_v find_v in_o a_o miscarriage_n what_o joy_n and_o triumph_n do_v this_o make_v what_o load_n of_o circumstance_n and_o aggravation_n do_v they_o lay_v upon_o they_o as_o though_o one_o single_a miscarriage_n of_o such_o person_n be_v to_o weigh_v down_o a_o thousand_o enormity_n of_o they_o and_o because_o it_o be_v impossible_a to_o defend_v their_o extravagant_a course_n by_o reason_n the_o only_a way_n leave_v for_o they_o be_v to_o make_v satirical_a invective_n against_o reason_n as_o though_o it_o be_v the_o most_o uncertain_a foolish_a and_o i_o have_v almost_o say_v unreasonable_a thing_n in_o the_o world_n and_o yet_o they_o pretend_v to_o show_v it_o in_o argue_v against_o it_o but_o it_o be_v pity_v such_o have_v not_o their_o wish_n to_o have_v be_v beast_n rather_o than_o man_n if_o any_o man_n can_v make_v such_o a_o wish_n that_o have_v it_o not_o already_o that_o they_o may_v have_v be_v less_o capable_a of_o do_v mischief_n among_o mankind_n by_o represent_v all_o the_o excellency_n of_o humane_a nature_n which_o be_v reason_n and_o virtue_n and_o religion_n but_o as_o more_o grave_a and_o solemn_a foppery_n but_o how_o hard_o be_v such_o man_n put_v to_o defend_v their_o vice_n that_o can_v do_v it_o without_o trample_v under_o foot_n the_o most_o noble_a perfection_n of_o their_o own_o nature_n these_o however_o be_v the_o more_o ingenuous_a sort_n of_o sinner_n that_o yield_v reason_n and_o religion_n to_o be_v of_o virtue_n side_n but_o there_o be_v other_o that_o make_v use_v of_o some_o shallow_a pretence_n of_o reason_n to_o excuse_v themselves_o in_o their_o sin_n which_o be_v the_o second_o way_n whereby_o sin_n deceive_v man_n viz._n 2._o by_o false_a reason_n and_o those_o take_v either_o 1._o from_o their_o present_a impunity_n 2._o or_o from_o their_o future_a repentance_n 1._o from_o their_o present_a impunity_n in_o sin_v man_n be_v apt_a to_o deceive_v themselves_o into_o a_o continuance_n in_o it_o this_o be_v the_o account_n the_o wise_a man_n have_v long_o since_o give_v of_o man_n be_v harden_v in_o sin_n 11._o because_o sentence_n against_o a_o evil_a work_n be_v not_o execute_v speedy_o therefore_o the_o heart_n of_o the_o son_n of_o man_n be_v full_o set_v in_o they_o to_o do_v evil_a it_o seem_v somewhat_o hard_a to_o understand_v the_o consequence_n why_o man_n shall_v grow_v more_o desperate_o wicked_a because_o god_n give_v they_o a_o space_n to_o repent_v be_v it_o necessary_a that_o if_o god_n do_v punish_v at_o all_o he_o must_v do_v it_o present_o that_o will_v seem_v to_o be_v rage_n and_o fury_n or_o a_o necessity_n of_o nature_n and_o not_o justice_n can_v judgement_n be_v due_o execute_v unless_o the_o judge_n break_v open_v the_o prison_n door_n and_o torment_v the_o malefactor_n in_o his_o chain_n why_o may_v not_o god_n respite_v the_o punishment_n of_o sinner_n when_o he_o please_v to_o another_o state_n since_o he_o have_v declare_v that_o he_o have_v appoint_v a_o day_n wherein_o he_o will_v judge_v the_o world_n in_o righteousness_n 31._o what_o incongruity_n be_v there_o in_o this_o to_o any_o principle_n of_o reason_n or_o justice_n will_v not_o this_o time_n of_o god_n patience_n be_v a_o sufficient_a vindication_n of_o his_o lenity_n and_o goodness_n in_o order_n to_o the_o draw_v man_n to_o repentance_n and_o will_v not_o the_o day_n of_o his_o future_a judgement_n be_v a_o full_a vindication_n of_o his_o justice_n will_v not_o the_o insupportable_a honour_n of_o a_o miserable_a eternity_n discover_v far_o more_o god_n abhorrence_n of_o sin_n than_o present_a suffering_n in_o this_o life_n which_o the_o great_a they_o be_v the_o less_o they_o continue_v but_o all_o this_o false_a way_n of_o reason_v arise_v from_o that_o gross_a piece_n of_o self-flattery_n that_o such_o do_v imagine_v god_n to_o be_v like_o themselves_o i_o e._n as_o cruel_a and_o revengeful_a as_o they_o be_v and_o they_o present_o think_v if_o any_o person_n do_v offend_v they_o at_o the_o rate_n that_o sinner_n be_v say_v to_o offend_v god_n and_o they_o have_v so_o much_o power_n in_o their_o hand_n to_o punish_v they_o as_o he_o have_v without_o any_o fear_n of_o revenge_n upon_o themselves_o they_o will_v be_v sure_a to_o dispatch_v they_o present_o but_o because_o they_o see_v god_n do_v it_o not_o therefore_o they_o conclude_v that_o all_o the_o talk_n of_o god_n anger_n and_o hatred_n against_o sin_n be_v without_o ground_n and_o from_o hence_o they_o take_v encouragement_n to_o sin_n so_o the_o psalmist_n say_v in_o god_n name_n 21._o these_o thing_n thou_o do_v and_o i_o keep_v silence_n and_o they_o present_o take_v his_o silence_n for_o consent_n for_o it_o follow_v and_o thou_o think_v that_o i_o be_v altogether_o such_o a_o one_o as_o thyself_o but_o the_o psalmist_n add_v how_o ill_o he_o take_v this_o at_o man_n hand_n and_o that_o he_o will_v one_o day_n make_v they_o know_v the_o difference_n between_o the_o forbearance_n of_o sinner_n and_o the_o love_n of_o their_o sin_n but_o i_o will_v reprove_v thou_o and_o set_v they_o in_o order_n before_o thou_o and_o therefore_o he_o bid_v they_o be_v better_o advise_v and_o consider_v this_o while_n they_o