Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	act_n	king_n	law_n	3,745	5	5.1722	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93136	A letter from a clergy-man in the city, to his friend in the country containing his reasons for not reading the Declaration.	Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of, 1633-1695.; Sherlock, William, 1641?-1707, attributed name.	1688 (1688)	Wing S3294C; ESTC R202491	7,794	4

a_o letter_n from_o a_o clergyman_n in_o the_o city_n to_o his_o friend_n in_o the_o country_n contain_v his_o reason_n for_o not_o read_v the_o declaration_n sir_n i_o do_v not_o wonder_v at_o your_o concern_n for_o find_v a_o order_n of_o council_n publish_v in_o the_o gazette_n for_o read_v the_o king_n declaration_n for_o liberty_n of_o conscience_n in_o all_o church_n and_o chapel_n in_o this_o kingdom_n you_o desire_v to_o know_v my_o thought_n about_o it_o and_o i_o shall_v free_o tell_v they_o for_o this_o be_v not_o a_o time_n to_o be_v reserve_v our_o enemy_n who_o have_v give_v our_o gracious_a king_n this_o counsel_n against_o we_o have_v take_v the_o most_o effectual_a way_n not_o only_o to_o ruin_v we_o but_o to_o make_v we_o appear_v the_o instrument_n of_o our_o own_o ruin_n that_o what_o course_n soever_o we_o take_v we_o shall_v be_v undo_v and_o one_o side_n or_o other_o will_v conclude_v that_o we_o have_v undo_v ourselves_o and_o fall_v like_o fool_n to_o lose_v our_o live_n and_o preferment_n nay_o our_o liberty_n and_o life_n in_o a_o plain_a and_o direct_a opposition_n to_o popery_n as_o suppose_v for_o refuse_v to_o read_v mass_n in_o our_o church_n or_o to_o swear_v to_o the_o trent-creed_n be_v a_o honourable_a way_n of_o fall_v and_o have_v the_o divine_a comfort_n of_o suffer_v for_o christ_n and_o his_o religion_n and_o i_o hope_v there_o be_v none_o of_o we_o but_o can_v cheerful_o submit_v to_o the_o will_n of_o god_n in_o it_o but_o this_o be_v not_o our_o present_a case_n to_o read_v the_o declaration_n be_v not_o to_o read_v the_o mass_n nor_o to_o profess_v the_o romish_a faith_n and_o therefore_o some_o will_v judge_v that_o there_o be_v no_o hurt_n in_o read_v it_o and_o that_o to_o suffer_v for_o such_o a_o refusal_n be_v not_o to_o fall_v like_o confessor_n but_o to_o suffer_v as_o criminal_n for_o disobey_v the_o lawful_a command_n of_o our_o prince_n but_o yet_o we_o judge_v and_o we_o have_v the_o concur_v opinion_n of_o all_o the_o nobility_n and_o gentry_n with_o we_o who_o have_v already_o suffer_v in_o this_o cause_n that_o to_o take_v away_o the_o test_n and_o penal_a law_n at_o this_o time_n be_v but_o one_o step_n from_o the_o introduce_v of_o popery_n and_o therefore_o to_o read_v such_o a_o declaration_n in_o our_o church_n though_o it_o do_v not_o immediate_o bring_v popery_n in_o yet_o it_o set_v open_v our_o church_n door_n for_o it_o and_o then_o it_o will_v take_v its_o own_o time_n to_o enter_v so_o that_o shall_v we_o comply_v with_o this_o order_n all_o good_a protestant_n will_v despise_v and_o hate_v we_o and_o then_o we_o may_v be_v easy_o crush_v and_o shall_v soon_o fall_v with_o great_a dishonour_n and_o without_o any_o pity_n this_o be_v the_o difficulty_n of_o our_o case_n we_o shall_v be_v censure_v on_o both_o side_n but_o with_o this_o difference_n we_o shall_v fail_v a_o little_a soon_o by_o not_o read_v the_o declaration_n if_o our_o gracious_a prince_n resent_v this_o as_o a_o act_n of_o obstinate_a and_o peevish_a or_o factious_a disobedience_n as_o our_o enemy_n will_v be_v sure_a to_o represent_v it_o to_o he_o we_o shall_v as_o certain_o fall_v and_o not_o long_o after_o if_o we_o do_v read_v it_o and_o then_o we_o shall_v fall_v unpitied_a and_o despise_a and_o it_o may_v be_v with_o the_o curse_n of_o the_o nation_n who_o we_o have_v ruin_v by_o our_o compliance_n and_o this_o be_v the_o way_n never_o to_o rise_v more_o and_o may_v i_o suffer_v all_o that_o can_v be_v suffer_v in_o this_o world_n rather_o than_o contribute_v to_o the_o final_a ruin_n of_o the_o best_a church_n in_o the_o world._n let_v we_o then_o examine_v this_o matter_n impartial_o as_o those_o who_o have_v no_o mind_n either_o to_o ruin_v themselves_o or_o to_o ruin_v the_o church_n i_o suppose_v no_o minister_n of_o the_o church_n of_o england_n can_v give_v his_o consent_n to_o the_o declaration_n let_v we_o then_o consider_v whether_o read_v the_o declaration_n in_o our_o church_n be_v not_o a_o interpretative_a consent_n and_o will_v not_o with_o great_a reason_n be_v interpret_v to_o be_v so_o for_o first_o by_o our_o law_n all_o ministerial_a officer_n be_v accountable_a for_o their_o action_n the_o authority_n of_o superior_n though_o of_o the_o king_n himself_o can_v justify_v inferior_a officer_n much_o less_o the_o minister_n of_o state_n if_o they_o shall_v execute_v any_o illegal_a command_n which_o show_v that_o our_o law_n do_v not_o look_v upon_o the_o minister_n of_o church_n or_o state_n to_o be_v mere_a machine_n and_n tool_n to_o be_v manage_v whole_o by_o the_o will_n of_o our_o superior_n without_o exercise_v any_o act_n of_o judgement_n or_o reason_n themselves_o for_o then_o inferior_a minister_n be_v no_o more_o punishable_a than_o the_o horse_n be_v which_o draw_v a_o innocent_a man_n to_o tyburn_n and_o if_o inferior_a minister_n be_v punishable_a than_o our_o law_n suppose_v that_o what_o we_o do_v in_o obedience_n to_o superior_n we_o make_v our_o own_o act_n by_o do_v it_o and_o i_o suppose_v that_o signify_v our_o consent_n in_o the_o eye_n of_o the_o law_n to_o what_o we_o do_v it_o be_v a_o maxim_n in_o our_o law_n that_o the_o king_n can_v do_v no_o wrong_n and_o therefore_o if_o any_o wrong_n be_v do_v the_o crime_n and_o gild_n be_v the_o minister_n who_o do_v it_o for_o the_o law_n be_v the_o king_n be_v public_a will_n and_o therefore_o he_o be_v never_o suppose_v to_o command_v any_o thing_n contrary_a to_o law_n nor_o be_v any_o minister_n who_o do_v a_o illegal_a action_n allow_v to_o pretend_v the_o king_n command_n and_o authority_n for_o it_o and_o and_o yet_o this_o be_v the_o only_a reason_n i_o know_v why_o we_o must_v not_o obey_v a_o prince_n against_o the_o law_n of_o the_o land_n or_o the_o law_n of_o god_n because_o what_o we_o do_v let_v the_o authority_n be_v what_o it_o will_v that_o command_v it_o become_v our_o own_o act_n and_o we_o be_v responsible_a for_o it_o and_o then_o as_o i_o observe_v before_o it_o must_v imply_v our_o own_o consent_n second_o the_o minister_n of_o religion_n have_v a_o great_a tie_n and_o obligation_n than_o this_o because_o they_o have_v the_o care_n and_o conduct_v of_o man_n soul_n and_o therefore_o be_v bind_v to_o take_v care_n that_o what_o they_o publish_v in_o their_o church_n be_v neither_o contrary_n to_o the_o law_n of_o the_o land_n nor_o to_o the_o good_a of_o the_o church_n for_o the_o minister_n of_o religion_n be_v not_o look_v upon_o as_o common_a crier_n but_o what_o they_o read_v they_o be_v suppose_v to_o recommend_v too_o though_o they_o do_v no_o more_o than_o read_v it_o and_o therefore_o to_o read_v any_o thing_n in_o the_o church_n which_o i_o do_v not_o consent_v to_o and_o approve_v nay_o which_o i_o think_v prejudical_a to_o religion_n and_o the_o church_n of_o god_n as_o well_o as_o contrary_a to_o the_o law_n of_o the_o land_n be_v to_o misguide_v my_o people_n and_o to_o dissemble_v with_o god_n and_o man_n because_o it_o be_v presume_v that_o i_o neither_o do_v nor_o aught_o to_o read_v any_o thing_n in_o the_o church_n which_o i_o do_v not_o in_o some_o degree_n approve_v indeed_o let_v man_n private_a opinion_n be_v what_o they_o will_v in_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o thing_n he_o that_o read_v such_o a_o declaration_n to_o his_o people_n teach_v they_o by_o it_o for_o be_v not_o reading_n teach_v suppose_v then_o i_o do_v not_o consent_v to_o what_o i_o read_v yet_o i_o consent_v to_o teach_v my_o people_n what_o i_o read_v and_o herein_o be_v the_o evil_a of_o it_o for_o it_o may_v be_v it_o be_v no_o fault_n to_o consent_v to_o the_o declaration_n but_o if_o i_o consent_v to_o teach_v my_o people_n what_o i_o do_v not_o consent_v to_o myself_o i_o be_o sure_a that_o be_v a_o great_a one_o and_o he_o who_o can_v distinguish_v between_o consent_v to_o read_v the_o declaration_n and_o consent_v to_o teach_v the_o people_n by_o the_o declaration_n when_o read_v the_o declaration_n be_v teach_v it_o have_v a_o very_a subtle_a distinguishing-conscience_n now_o if_o consent_v to_o read_v the_o declaration_n be_v a_o consent_n to_o teach_v it_o my_o people_n than_o the_o natural_a interpretation_n of_o read_v the_o declaration_n be_v that_o he_o who_o read_v it_o in_o such_o a_o solemn_a teaching-manner_n approve_v it_o if_o this_o be_v not_o so_o i_o desire_v to_o know_v why_o i_o may_v not_o read_v a_o homily_n for_o transubstantiation_n or_o invocation_n of_o saint_n or_o the_o worship_n of_o image_n if_o the_o king_n send_v i_o such_o good_a catholic_n homily_n and_o command_v i_o to_o read_v they_o and_o thus_o we_o may_v instruct_v our_o people_n in_o all_o the_o point_n of_o popery_n