Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	law_n	moral_a	positive_a	5,166	5	11.3209	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59832	The nature and measure of charity a sermon preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, and the Court of Aldermen, at the parish-church of St. Bridget, on Tuesday in Easter-week, April 6, 1697 / by William Sherlock ...	Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707.	1697 (1697)	Wing S3304; ESTC R14354	14,013	38

good_a which_o we_o sincere_o desire_v to_o do_v and_o which_o we_o will_v certain_o do_v be_v it_o in_o our_o power_n but_o it_o be_v to_o mock_v both_o god_n and_o man_n to_o pretend_v a_o willingness_n when_o it_o be_v visible_a to_o all_o the_o world_n that_o a_o will_v to_o do_v good_a be_v the_o only_a thing_n we_o want_v but_o such_o a_o readiness_n and_o willingness_n of_o mind_n as_o be_v active_a and_o vigorous_a as_o contrive_v and_o lay_v design_n of_o charity_n or_o embrace_v such_o as_o be_v offer_v and_o take_v all_o wise_a opportunity_n of_o do_v good_a this_o be_v very_o acceptable_a to_o god_n as_o be_v the_o most_o divine_a and_o godlike_a temper_n the_o image_n of_o his_o own_o goodness_n and_o the_o noble_a exercise_n of_o our_o love_n to_o man_n inspire_v with_o the_o love_n of_o god_n now_o in_o moral_a action_n it_o be_v the_o principle_n that_o give_v the_o value_n not_o so_o much_o the_o gift_n as_o the_o mind_n of_o the_o giver_n and_o therefore_o st._n paul_n tell_v we_o that_o though_o we_o give_v all_o our_o good_n to_o feed_v the_o poor_a and_o have_v not_o charity_n we_o be_v nothing_o 1_o cor._n 13._o 3._o god_n can_v feed_v the_o poor_a without_o we_o if_o he_o so_o please_v but_o as_o for_o several_a other_o wise_a end_n of_o providence_n so_o he_o have_v order_v that_o the_o poor_a shall_v be_v always_o with_o we_o for_o the_o trial_n and_o exercise_n of_o our_o virtue_n but_o the_o virtue_n be_v not_o the_o gift_n but_o the_o charity_n and_o can_v we_o perform_v all_o the_o act_n of_o charity_n without_o a_o charitable_a mind_n the_o world_n may_v be_v better_o for_o it_o but_o not_o we_o ourselves_o 2_o this_o readiness_n and_o forwardness_n of_o mind_n to_o do_v good_a will_v observe_v the_o just_a proportion_n of_o charity_n will_v give_v according_a to_o what_o a_o man_n have_v i_o observe_v before_o that_o our_o saviour_n in_o his_o gospel_n have_v prescribe_v no_o fix_a measure_n nor_o proportion_n of_o charity_n nor_o can_v he_o reasonable_o do_v this_o consider_v the_o nature_n of_o charity_n which_o though_o it_o be_v not_o so_o absolute_o free_a that_o we_o may_v choose_v whether_o we_o will_v be_v charitable_a or_o no_o for_o charitable_a we_o must_v be_v at_o the_o peril_n of_o our_o soul_n yet_o the_o proportion_n must_v be_v free_a or_o it_o be_v not_o charity_n but_o a_o poor_n rate_n as_o all_o the_o positive_a law_n which_o god_n give_v the_o jew_n for_o the_o relief_n of_o the_o poor_a be_v no_o better_o and_o therefore_o by_o the_o wise_a jew_n be_v never_o place_v to_o the_o account_n of_o charity_n but_o of_o justice_n and_o a_o legal_a righteousness_n which_o be_v the_o very_a distinction_n st._n paul_n make_v between_o a_o righteous_a and_o a_o good_a man_n rom._n 5._o 7._o but_o scarce_o for_o a_o righteous_a man_n will_v one_o die_v yet_o peradventure_o for_o a_o good_a man_n one_o will_v even_o dare_v to_o die_v a_o righteous_a man_n be_v one_o who_o be_v legal_o righteous_a and_o observe_v what_o the_o law_n require_v but_o a_o good_a man_n be_v one_o who_o be_v act_v by_o a_o free_a unconfined_a and_o generous_a goodness_n now_o upon_o this_o pretence_n that_o there_o be_v no_o proportion_n assign_v to_o charity_n there_o be_v to●_n many_o who_o content_n themselves_o with_o very_o little_a indeed_o with_o nothing_o which_o can_v proper_o b●_n call_v charity_n but_o i_o wonder_v in_o the_o mean_a time_n what_o these_o man_n make_v of_o all_o those_o command●_n and_o exhortation_n which_o we_o find_v in_o the_o gospel_n to_o charity_n which_o be_v so_o many_o so_o press_v an●_n importunate_a and_o bind_v on_o we_o by_o so_o many_o pr●mises_n of_o present_a and_o future_a reward_n and_o wit●_n so_o many_o terrible_a threaten_n denounce_v against_o the_o uncharitable_a that_o sure_o they_o must_v mea●_n something_o and_o as_o willing_a as_o man_n be_v in_o the●●_n case_n to_o pretend_v ignorance_n i_o believe_v there_o a●●_n few_o man_n live_v but_o know_v in_o some_o measure_n what_o charity_n mean_v and_o though_o they_o may_v dispute_v how_o much_o they_o ought_v to_o give_v yet_o certain_o know_v that_o they_o ought_v to_o give_v and_o that_o to_o give_v nothing_o or_o what_o be_v next_o to_o nothing_o all_o circumstance_n consider_v be_v not_o charity_n a_o charitable_a temper_n and_o disposition_n of_o mind_n be_v a_o indispensible_a duty_n and_o the_o most_o essential_a part_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n this_o our_o saviour_n command_v and_o he_o need_v command_v no_o more_o for_o charity_n be_v and_o will_v be_v a_o rule_n and_o measure_n to_o itself_o where_o this_o divine_a principle_n be_v it_o will_v teach_v we_o when_o and_o how_o and_o in_o what_o proportion_n to_o give_v the_o sun_n need_v no_o rule_n and_o direction_n how_o to_o communicate_v its_o light_n and_o heat_n nature_n be_v the_o sure_a and_o most_o infallible_a rule_n and_o law_n to_o itself_o and_o thus_o it_o be_v proportionable_o in_o moral_a as_o well_o as_o in_o natural_a agent_n for_o what_o be_v the_o immediate_a effect_n of_o nature_n and_o life_n can_v never_o be_v teach_v without_o its_o principle_n can_v exceed_v its_o principle_n and_o can_v fall_v below_o it_o all_o the_o rule_n in_o the_o world_n can_v never_o teach_v that_o man_n charity_n who_o want_v the_o principle_n a_o charitable_a mind_n need_v no_o rule_n but_o turn_v natural_o on_o its_o own_o bias_n which_o will_v direct_v its_o motion_n right_a there_o be_v a_o great_a difference_n indeed_o between_o natural_a and_o moral_a agent_n natural_a agent_n be_v necessary_o determine_v to_o some_o one_o end_n and_o therefore_o have_v but_o one_o principle_n which_o uniform_o and_o steady_o pursue_v the_o end_n of_o nature_n but_o moral_a agent_n as_o they_o act_v free_o so_o they_o have_v many_o different_a principle_n inclination_n and_o passion_n which_o stint_n and_o limit_v each_o other_o that_o none_o of_o they_o can_v act_v to_o their_o utmost_a vigour_n but_o as_o they_o be_v mutual_o poize_v and_o balance_v and_o this_o be_v the_o work_n of_o reason_n and_o religion_n to_o put_v they_o into_o their_o natural_a order_n and_o to_o set_v just_a bound_n to_o they_o and_o that_o proportion_v the_o degree_n of_o their_o activity_n and_o strength_n but_o yet_o every_o principle_n unless_o violent_o oppress_v will_v act_v according_a to_o its_o nature_n as_o it_o more_o or_o less_o prevail_v and_o this_o give_v measure_n and_o proportion_n to_o all_o our_o action_n as_o to_o show_v you_o this_o in_o our_o present_a case_n charity_n be_v that_o love_n to_o mankind_n which_o make_v we_o pity_v all_o their_o want_n and_o suffering_n and_o inspire_v we_o with_o a_o great_a zeal_n and_o concernment_n to_o help_n and_o relieve_v they_o if_o you_o inquire_v what_o the_o natural_a measure_n of_o this_o charity_n be_v i_o know_v no_o other_o natual_a measure_n but_o its_o natural_a end_n that_o be_v to_o relieve_v all_o that_o suffer_v and_o be_v in_o want_n for_o that_o be_v what_o charity_n will_v do_v and_o what_o all_o charitable_a man_n hearty_o wish_v that_o they_o can_v do_v well!_o but_o this_o be_v impossible_a for_o there_o be_v too_o many_o miserable_a people_n for_o any_o man_n to_o relieve_v they_o all_o this_o be_v true_a and_o want_v of_o power_n must_v of_o necessity_n set_v bound_n to_o our_o charity_n but_o since_o we_o can_v relieve_v all_o we_o must_v relieve_v such_o as_o we_o can_v and_o wise_o consider_v where_o the_o great_a necessity_n and_o great_a obligation_n be_v which_o will_v give_v the_o preference_n to_o christian_n before_o infidel_n to_o good_a man_n before_o the_o wicked_a to_o god_n poor_a who_o the_o divine_a providence_n have_v make_v poor_a to_o the_o poor_a of_o their_o own_o make_v who_o idleness_n luxury_n and_o vice_n have_v make_v poor_a and_o miserable_a well!_o but_o how_o far_o must_v we_o relieve_v these_o poor_a must_v we_o give_v as_o long_o as_o we_o have_v any_o thing_n to_o give_v and_o make_v ourselves_o the_o object_n of_o charity_n by_o no_o mean_n there_o be_v other_o as_o natural_a principle_n as_o charity_n which_o must_v set_v bound_n to_o it_o self-love_n be_v a_o natural_a and_o necessary_a principle_n no_o man_n be_v bind_v to_o love_v any_o man_n better_o than_o himself_o to_o love_v our_o neighbour_n as_o ourselves_o be_v all_o that_o the_o gospel_n itself_o make_v our_o necessary_a duty_n though_o some_o great_a and_o generous_a friendship_n and_o divine_a charity_n may_v go_v further_o as_o far_o as_o concern_v this_o life_n next_o to_o self-love_n our_o natural_a affection_n for_o our_o wife_n and_o child_n must_v take_v place_n as_o ingraft_v in_o it_o and_o think_v the_o best_a and_o the_o dear_a part_n of_o it_o as_o be_v near_o to_o ourselves_o and_o what_o the_o