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book_n call_v name_n write_v 6,549 5 5.6975 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A40084 The principles and practices of certain moderate divines of the Church of England (greatly mis-understood), truly represented and defended wherein ... some controversies, of no mean importance, are succinctly discussed : in a free discourse between two intimate friends : in three parts. Fowler, Edward, 1632-1714. 1670 (1670) Wing F1711; ESTC R17783 120,188 376

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nay_o how_o then_o can_v he_o marvel_n as_o we_o read_v he_o do_v at_o their_o unbelief_n philal._n but_o they_o will_v tell_v you_o that_o to_o assent_v to_o the_o truth_n of_o the_o scripture_n from_o the_o forementioned_a motive_n be_v no_o divine_a faith_n theoph._n but_o i_o dare_v tell_v they_o be_v that_o the_o believe_v of_o divine_a thing_n be_v a_o divine_a faith_n let_v the_o motive_n induce_v thereunto_o be_v what_o they_o will_v and_o that_o it_o be_v no_o unusual_a thing_n for_o the_o act_n to_o receive_v its_o denomination_n from_o its_o object_n but_o with_o a_o divine_a faith_n in_o their_o sense_n also_o we_o no_o less_o than_o they_o believe_v what_o be_v contain_v in_o the_o scripture_n true_a viz._n because_o god_n that_o can_v lie_v have_v revel_v it_o but_o that_o he_o have_v indeed_o revel_v it_o the_o miracle_n as_o be_v say_v whereby_o this_o be_v confirm_v and_o the_o goodness_n of_o the_o doctrine_n to_o which_o i_o may_v add_v also_o the_o completion_n of_o 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temptation_n of_o be_v bias_v in_o their_o judgement_n in_o this_o particular_a so_o that_o i_o say_v it_o be_v a_o most_o reasonable_a postulatum_fw-la that_o conformity_n to_o the_o present_a enjoin_v rite_n may_v be_v by_o those_o that_o oppose_v it_o acknowledge_v not_o to_o be_v so_o plain_o at_o least_o condemn_v but_o that_o very_o wise_a and_o good_a man_n may_v not_o see_v it_o so_o to_o be_v and_o therefore_o may_v judge_v it_o not_o only_o lawful_a to_o conform_v but_o also_o their_o duty_n so_o long_o as_o they_o persist_v in_o that_o opinion_n philal._n i_o think_v it_o a_o very_a clear_a case_n that_o the_o conformist_n adversary_n have_v sufficient_a reason_n to_o desire_v and_o take_v kind_o the_o same_o favourable_a thought_n of_o their_o nonconformity_n they_o well_o know_v how_o obnoxious_a it_o have_v be_v to_o a_o ill_a construction_n and_o hard_a censure_n nor_o can_v they_o be_v ignorant_a what_o a_o black_a and_o odious_a character_n be_v by_o some_o man_n 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ground_v upon_o so_o good_a a_o reason_n as_o you_o have_v give_v theoph._n and_o i_o thank_v you_o my_o friend_n that_o you_o give_v i_o this_o occasion_n of_o purge_v myself_o from_o so_o foul_a and_o unchristian_a a_o crime_n philal._n and_o you_o have_v do_v it_o as_o i_o say_v very_o satisfactory_o for_o prudence_n no_o question_n be_v a_o necessary_a ingredient_n in_o every_o virtue_n nor_o can_v i_o ever_o think_v blind_a charity_n to_o be_v more_o true_o so_o than_o blind_a zeal_n theoph._n but_o to_o proceed_v where_o we_o break_v off_o be_v it_o not_o great_o to_o be_v wonder_v at_o philalethes_n that_o these_o man_n will_v not_o afford_v those_o that_o differ_v in_o their_o practice_n from_o they_o in_o disputable_a matter_n any_o more_o favourable_a title_n than_o that_o
believer_n and_o threaten_n of_o the_o most_o dismal_a punishment_n to_o those_o that_o shall_v persist_v in_o impenitence_n and_o unbelief_n etc._n etc._n philal._n you_o need_v say_v no_o more_o than_o you_o have_v do_v to_o make_v the_o christian_a a_o most_o incomparable_a religion_n but_o do_v you_o not_o say_v too_o much_o under_o the_o former_a head_n in_o affirm_v that_o therein_o be_v contain_v our_o whole_a duty_n so_o as_o that_o we_o need_v do_v no_o more_o than_o read_v the_o gospel_n to_o come_v to_o the_o knowledge_n of_o it_o for_o there_o be_v very_o many_o moral_a case_n wherein_o man_n be_v force_v to_o use_v their_o reason_n to_o the_o utmost_a and_o also_o to_o call_v in_o the_o assistance_n of_o other_o man_n for_o the_o understanding_n of_o their_o duty_n in_o they_o theoph._n sure_o philalethes_n you_o can_v not_o think_v i_o so_o extreme_o weak_a as_o to_o mean_v by_o what_o i_o say_v that_o the_o scripture_n descend_v minutely_o to_o determine_v all_o possible_a case_n in_o particular_a for_o this_o can_v be_v do_v in_o book_n they_o be_v infinite_a and_o vary_v with_o man_n innumerable_a circumstance_n but_o this_o be_v my_o meaning_n that_o the_o particular_a duty_n man_n be_v constant_o oblige_v to_o be_v all_o plain_o there_o revel_v and_o in_o the_o most_o express_a term_n and_o i_o add_v that_o there_o be_v also_o general_a rule_n lay_v down_o whereby_o all_o emergent_a case_n may_v be_v determine_v and_o such_o as_o ordinary_o occur_v at_o least_o for_o the_o most_o part_n with_o the_o great_a ease_n but_o to_o go_v on_o etc._n to_o say_v that_o there_o be_v nothing_o require_v but_o what_o be_v most_o suitable_a to_o our_o rational_a faculty_n tend_v as_o much_o to_o magnify_v god_n goodness_n to_o we_o and_o to_o commend_v the_o gospel_n as_o any_o thing_n that_o can_v be_v say_v and_o shall_v it_o consist_v much_o of_o perfect_o new_a precept_n which_o the_o world_n can_v never_o before_o so_o much_o as_o once_o have_v 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religion_n but_o rather_o procure_v to_o it_o the_o great_a veneration_n there_o be_v no_o wise_a man_n but_o will_v willing_o confess_v that_o there_o be_v even_o in_o nature_n innumerable_a thing_n which_o he_o know_v to_o be_v but_o yet_o be_v not_o able_a to_o imagine_v how_o they_o be_v and_o that_o his_o very_a sense_n do_v assure_v he_o of_o many_o such_o thing_n as_o no_o faculty_n of_o he_o can_v give_v he_o a_o satisfactory_a account_n of_o philal._n i_o have_v often_o think_v it_o to_o be_v very_o fit_a that_o there_o shall_v be_v some_o such_o point_n in_o our_o religion_n as_o be_v not_o comprehensible_a and_o adequate_a object_n of_o our_o understanding_n that_o so_o as_o we_o be_v to_o take_v occasion_n from_o the_o consideration_n of_o those_o doctrine_n that_o god_n have_v make_v facile_a and_o adapt_v to_o our_o understanding_n to_o admire_v his_o gracious_a condescension_n so_o from_o the_o consideration_n of_o those_o which_o we_o find_v surpass_v our_o reach_n we_o 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friend_n that_o they_o assert_v more_o concern_v the_o reasonableness_n of_o the_o speculative_a doctrine_n of_o christianity_n than_o that_o they_o be_v only_o not_o inconsistent_a with_o reason_n but_o moreover_o that_o they_o be_v very_o suitable_a to_o it_o dictate_v theoph._n i_o thank_v you_o for_o help_v my_o memory_n in_o this_o as_o well_o as_o in_o many_o other_o particular_n your_o information_n be_v very_o true_a as_o to_o many_o of_o the_o weighty_a point_n reason_n and_o there_o be_v no_o wise_a man_n but_o will_v assert_v the_o same_o for_o it_o be_v well_o know_v that_o the_o heathen_n have_v a_o notion_n of_o they_o life_n and_o immortality_n be_v say_v to_o be_v bring_v to_o light_v by_o the_o gospel_n i._n e._n to_o give_v mankind_n full_a satisfaction_n in_o that_o article_n of_o faith_n be_v the_o sole_a prerogative_n of_o