Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	church_n	civil_a	society_n	1,332	5	9.1138	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B20591	The Bishop of London's eighth letter to his clergy upon a conference how they ought to behave themselves under the Toleration.	Compton, Henry, 1632-1713.	1692 (1692)	Wing C5665	8,559	22

the_o bishop_n of_o london_n eight_o letter_n to_o his_o clergy_n upon_o a_o conference_n how_o they_o ought_v to_o behave_v themselves_o under_o the_o toleration_n london_n print_v by_o benj._n motte_n 1692._o the_o bishop_n of_o london_n eight_o letter_n to_o his_o clergy_n etc._n etc._n good_a brother_n it_o be_v now_o three_o year_n since_o i_o first_o begin_v this_o conference_n in_o my_o diocese_n and_o therefore_o it_o can_v be_v no_o wonder_n if_o many_o of_o you_o shall_v have_v forget_v what_o discourse_n pass_v upon_o this_o occasion_n for_o i_o begin_v in_o 1689._o and_o conclude_v not_o till_o the_o last_o summer_n 1691._o but_o beside_o this_o and_o my_o constant_a custom_n of_o communicate_v to_o you_o from_o time_n to_o time_n the_o substance_n of_o what_o have_v be_v the_o entertainment_n of_o our_o conference_n i_o find_v myself_o oblige_v to_o publish_v the_o head_n of_o this_o conference_n and_o in_o what_o manner_n we_o pursue_v it_o that_o i_o may_v take_v off_o the_o edge_n of_o some_o unadvised_a and_o false_a representation_n that_o have_v be_v make_v as_o if_o i_o design_v sign_v to_o disturb_v and_o interrupt_v that_o repose_n which_o the_o law_n have_v give_v to_o dissenter_n whereas_o god_n be_v my_o witness_n i_o have_v no_o such_o thought_n but_o as_o much_o the_o contrary_a as_o possible_a which_o will_v best_o appear_v by_o what_o follow_v i._o it_o be_v inquire_v what_o discipline_n we_o have_v leave_v for_o the_o support_n of_o our_o church_n since_o the_o act_n of_o toleration_n and_o this_o we_o do_v by_o consider_v what_o statute_n be_v suspend_v upon_o that_o account_n and_o what_o condition_n be_v to_o be_v observe_v by_o such_o as_o shall_v have_v the_o benefit_n of_o that_o suspension_n for_o it_o be_v a_o very_a reasonable_a proverb_n even_o reckon_n make_v long_a friend_n shall_v we_o break_v in_o upon_o one_o another_o boundary_n and_o not_o keep_v every_o one_o within_o his_o own_o line_n it_o will_v cause_v such_o continual_a strife_n and_o debate_n as_o will_v inevitable_o bring_v in_o confusion_n and_o every_o evil_a work_n but_o if_o we_o will_v be_v limit_v by_o those_o rule_n which_o the_o law_n have_v set_v and_o be_v careful_a not_o to_o entrench_v upon_o one_o another_o privilege_n this_o will_v be_v the_o only_a mean_n to_o create_v a_o confidence_n and_o good_a understanding_n among_o we_o for_o the_o conservation_n of_o the_o public_a peace_n for_o such_o behaviour_n will_v natural_o allay_v the_o bitterness_n of_o dissension_n and_o quench_v the_o coal_n of_o schism_n it_o will_v render_v charity_n triumphant_a over_o division_n and_o if_o it_o be_v possible_a make_v we_o one_o spirit_n though_o of_o different_a mind_n a_o care_n not_o to_o offend_v carry_v so_o many_o charm_n with_o it_o that_o it_o tame_v the_o wild_a beast_n it_o give_v that_o security_n of_o peace_n and_o repose_n that_o it_o persuade_v or_o shame_v the_o worst_a of_o temper_n into_o a_o acquiescence_n and_o here_o i_o presume_v to_o lay_v one_o argument_n before_o you_o which_o i_o shall_v think_v if_o discrete_o handle_v will_v very_o much_o work_v upon_o those_o that_o differ_v from_o we_o there_o be_v a_o great_a noise_n make_v about_o the_o church_n enjoin_v the_o observation_n of_o thing_n in_o themselves_o indifferent_a and_o yet_o i_o question_v not_o but_o that_o the_o severe_a opposer_n of_o this_o will_v confess_v that_o the_o secular_a power_n may_v determine_v the_o use_n of_o such_o thing_n for_o otherwise_o there_o will_v be_v a_o end_n of_o all_o government_n societies_n good_a order_n and_o peace_n in_o the_o world_n the_o conservation_n of_o which_o consist_v most_o in_o such_o law_n as_o be_v take_v up_o about_o thing_n indifferent_a or_o such_o indifferent_a circumstance_n of_o time_n place_n manner_n or_o the_o like_a as_o will_v render_v all_o ineffectual_a if_o not_o prescribe_v but_o if_o it_o shall_v be_v say_v this_o must_v not_o be_v do_v but_o where_o there_o be_v sufficient_a reason_n for_o it_o this_o set_v all_o to_o sea_n again_o and_o whilst_o the_o infinite_a variety_n of_o man_n reason_v be_v afloat_o no_o law_n can_v live_v in_o such_o a_o storm_n as_o they_o will_v raise_v and_o we_o do_v not_o find_v that_o god_n have_v give_v any_o other_o method_n for_o establish_v the_o outward_a decency_n and_o order_n of_o the_o church_n than_o what_o be_v common_a to_o all_o other_o society_n of_o man_n civil_a or_o military_a nay_o the_o state_n of_o the_o church_n be_v declare_v to_o be_v a_o spiritual_a warfare_n and_o we_o know_v nothing_o be_v more_o rigorous_a than_o military_a discipline_n even_o in_o the_o minute_a thing_n we_o may_v therefore_o certain_o conclude_v that_o thing_n indifferent_a in_o themselves_o do_v not_o hang_v so_o loose_a to_o the_o world_n but_o that_o for_o the_o good_a of_o mankind_n they_o may_v be_v restrain_v from_o their_o neutrality_n no_o body_n of_o man_n in_o the_o world_n can_v carry_v on_o any_o common_a purpose_n without_o this_o power_n over_o thing_n indifferent_a shall_v they_o not_o deny_v their_o private_a liberty_n by_o agree_v to_o time_n and_o place_n and_o by_o tie_v themselves_o up_o to_o some_o rule_n it_o will_v be_v like_o the_o confusion_n of_o babel_n or_o like_o a_o army_n arm_v at_o all_o adventure_n where_o there_o may_v possible_o be_v find_v more_o weapon_n to_o offend_v every_o one_o his_o next_o man_n than_o to_o annoy_v his_o enemy_n so_o that_o i_o do_v not_o think_v i_o wrong_v any_o religious_a sect_n of_o man_n in_o the_o world_n if_o i_o shall_v say_v there_o be_v none_o but_o what_o find_v itself_o oblige_v in_o some_o measure_n to_o retrench_v private_a liberty_n for_o the_o sake_n of_o common_a convenience_n the_o true_a difference_n then_o betwixt_o the_o necessity_n that_o lie_v upon_o thing_n necessary_a in_o their_o own_o nature_n and_o that_o which_o lie_v upon_o thing_n indifferent_a be_v that_o the_o one_o be_v always_o so_o and_o the_o other_o only_o upon_o occasion_n which_o agree_v with_o the_o just_a and_o wise_a declaration_n of_o our_o church_n the_o ceremony_n retain_v be_v for_o a_o discipline_n and_o order_n which_o for_o a_o just_a cause_n may_v be_v alter_v and_o change_v and_o therefore_o be_v not_o to_o be_v esteem_v equal_a with_o god_n law_n the_o case_n be_v thus_o i_o will_v glad_o know_v whether_o we_o that_o obey_v the_o law_n make_v about_o thing_n indifferent_a do_v not_o come_v near_o up_o to_o the_o precept_n submit_v to_o every_o ordinance_n of_o man_n for_o the_o lord_n sake_n than_o they_o that_o insist_v upon_o a_o unconfined_a liberty_n i_o must_v confess_v by_o the_o principle_n of_o some_o and_o the_o practice_n of_o other_o one_o will_v think_v there_o be_v no_o power_n of_o god_n in_o ruler_n but_o what_o be_v controlable_a by_o the_o will_n of_o the_o subject_a and_o that_o law_n be_v no_o long_o in_o force_n than_o man_n have_v a_o mind_n to_o keep_v they_o but_o what_o will_v be_v the_o fate_n of_o such_o a_o precarious_a government_n our_o present_a unhappy_a and_o self-destroying_a division_n give_v but_o too_o broad_a a_o intimation_n not_o but_o that_o there_o be_v time_n and_o season_n to_o do_v thing_n beyond_o common_a allowance_n but_o it_o be_v neither_o convenient_a to_o prescribe_v particular_n in_o such_o case_n beforehand_o nor_o possible_a to_o come_v to_o a_o end_n of_o they_o and_o therefore_o it_o have_v be_v the_o wisdom_n of_o all_o government_n to_o let_v alone_o such_o decision_n till_o the_o exigency_n of_o affair_n call_v for_o they_o and_o if_o at_o any_o time_n some_o upstart_n scoundrel_n pretence_n of_o a_o government_n have_v do_v otherwise_o it_o prove_v one_o of_o the_o thing_n that_o most_o expose_v their_o folly_n there_o may_v be_v indeed_o general_a rule_n such_o as_o our_o saviour_n for_o dispense_n with_o positive_a law_n though_o of_o god_n own_o make_n man_n be_v not_o make_v for_o the_o sabbath_n but_o the_o sabbath_n for_o man_n and_o that_o which_o surmount_v all_o necessity_n have_v no_o law_n but_o the_o law_n as_o i_o may_v call_v they_o for_o such_o particular_a occasion_n must_v arise_v out_o of_o the_o exigency_n themselves_o and_o either_o stand_v or_o fall_v by_o the_o judgement_n of_o mankind_n ii_o the_o thing_n we_o next_o consider_v be_v how_o to_o prevent_v the_o abuse_n ill_a man_n may_v make_v of_o this_o liberty_n who_o we_o may_v easy_o perceive_v will_v be_v apt_a to_o pervert_v the_o easiness_n of_o the_o government_n which_o be_v intend_v to_o favour_v weak_a conscience_n into_o a_o occasion_n of_o profaneness_n and_o disorderliness_n for_o we_o find_v already_o how_o much_o forward_a wicked_a man_n be_v to_o abuse_v this_o indulgence_n than_o other_o to_o be_v thankful_a for_o it_o there_o be_v number_n of_o late_a who_o have_v forsake_v the_o church_n not_o to_o go_v to_o