Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
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A55820
|
A letter to the Deists
|
Prideaux, Humphrey, 1648-1724.
|
1696
(1696)
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Wing P3414; ESTC R218987
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37,481
|
157
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necessary_a uses_n not_o to_o vain_a curiosity_n it_o will_v not_o deceive_v we_o in_o that_o manner_n we_o act_v according_a to_o nature_n and_o ought_v not_o to_o do_v otherwise_o and_o if_o we_o examine_v thus_o i_o be_o persuade_v we_o shall_v find_v that_o christianity_n be_v the_o high_a improvement_n of_o deism_n so_o that_o we_o may_v embrace_v it_o without_o forsake_v our_o first_o principle_n it_o must_v needs_o be_v so_o if_o true_a for_o the_o principle_n of_o deism_n be_v the_o eternal_a and_o unalterable_a law_n of_o god_n to_o all_o men._n he_o may_v give_v further_a help_n as_o i_o suppose_v we_o shall_v find_v christianity_n be_v to_o some_o but_o he_o can_v not_o abrogate_v or_o suspend_v the_o universal_a law_n which_o he_o have_v give_v we_o by_o nature_n with_o respect_n to_o any_o my_o counsel_n therefore_o terminate_v in_o stick_v constant_o close_a to_o that_o and_o at_o the_o same_o time_n in_o make_v use_n of_o all_o the_o assistance_n we_o can_v find_v for_o the_o improvement_n of_o it_o any_o where_o else_o in_o this_o manner_n we_o not_o only_o avoid_v but_o answer_v all_o the_o objection_n that_o i_o now_o hint_v at_o or_o that_o can_v possible_o rise_v against_o christianity_n the_o practice_n of_o superstition_n be_v unsuitable_a to_o the_o true_a idea_n of_o a_o god_n the_o belief_n of_o absurdity_n be_v impopossible_a to_o the_o nature_n of_o man._n and_o the_o enquiry_n into_o useless_a nicety_n be_v a_o very_a ill_a employment_n of_o that_o precious_a time_n of_o which_o among_o other_o thing_n god_n will_v certain_o require_v a_o account_n at_o our_o hand_n how_o will_v some_o sectary_n that_o may_v chance_v to_o see_v this_o letter_n be_v apt_a to_o say_v be_v no_o system_n no_o article_n no_o creed_n worth_n inquire_v into_o this_o be_v to_o set_v up_o a_o new_a christianity_n and_o to_o undermine_n what_o be_v ordinary_o call_v by_o that_o name_n instead_o of_o establish_v it_o the_o very_a fault_n that_o you_o condemn_v in_o those_o who_o under_o the_o veil_n of_o deism_n make_v it_o their_o business_n to_o propagate_v the_o principle_n of_o atheism_n i_o beg_v their_o pardon_n the_o difference_n be_v great_a in_o the_o first_o place_n it_o be_v to_o deist_n i_o write_v and_o if_o upon_o that_o account_n i_o use_v a_o latitude_n in_o some_o expression_n not_o suit_v to_o the_o genius_n of_o a_o sectary_n it_o be_v no_o more_o than_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o thing_n require_v but_o i_o will_v answer_v they_o more_o direct_o they_o may_v wrangle_v about_o name_n as_o much_o as_o they_o please_v it_o be_v the_o thing_n only_o that_o i_o inquire_v into_o christianity_n that_o christianity_n which_o jesus_n christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n teach_v not_o that_o which_o sect_n and_o party_n have_v so_o deform_v or_o disguise_v that_o it_o be_v not_o at_o all_o knowable_a in_o their_o write_n nor_o much_o in_o their_o practice_n what!_o shall_v i_o set_v myself_o to_o seek_v out_o a_o system_fw-la of_o christianity_n among_o their_o endless_a dispute_n let_v they_o first_o agree_v upon_o it_o among_o themselves_o when_o that_o be_v do_v it_o will_v be_v time_n enough_o for_o i_o to_o consider_v what_o they_o say_v but_o if_o in_o the_o mean_a while_n i_o can_v find_v out_o any_o particular_a wherein_o they_o all_o agree_v i_o sincere_o promise_v they_o that_o i_o will_v stick_v to_o it_o now_o one_o particular_a i_o bless_v god_n i_o have_v late_o find_v in_o a_o book_n entitle_v the_o reasonableness_n of_o christianity_n as_o deliver_v in_o the_o scripture_n and_o there_o demonstrate_v with_o a_o evidence_n that_o i_o be_o not_o able_a to_o resist_v yet_o let_v no_o body_n imagine_v by_o this_o that_o i_o be_o the_o old_a acquaintance_n of_o the_o author_n of_o the_o growth_n of_o deism_n who_o he_o tell_v we_o be_v convince_v of_o the_o reality_n of_o reveal_v religion_n by_o the_o read_n of_o that_o book_n and_o of_o the_o five_o letter_n concern_v the_o inspiration_n of_o the_o holy_a scripture_n for_o i_o neither_o know_v he_o nor_o he_o i_o yet_o nevertheless_o i_o own_o that_o i_o esteem_v that_o book_n and_o the_o last_o of_o those_o letter_n no_o less_o than_o he_o seem_v to_o do_v now_o i_o say_v the_o thing_n which_o i_o find_v in_o that_o book_n wherein_o all_o sectary_n agree_v be_v that_o jesus_n christ_n be_v the_o messiah_n the_o son_n of_o god_n the_o king_n who_o all_o that_o believe_v he_o to_o be_v so_o be_v oblige_v to_o obey_v and_o the_o general_n agreement_n of_o all_o sect_n in_o this_o give_v i_o i_o confess_v a_o strong_a presumption_n of_o its_o truth_n but_o the_o particular_a evidence_n of_o it_o in_o that_o book_n be_v irresistible_a the_o evidence_n i_o mean_v both_o that_o the_o thing_n assert_v be_v true_a and_o that_o whatever_o else_o may_v be_v true_a and_o useful_a nothing_o but_o that_o alone_o be_v require_v absolute_o to_o denote_v and_o characterise_v a_o man_n a_o christian_n since_o therefore_o i_o be_o force_v to_o own_o that_o for_o my_o part_n i_o know_v no_o better_o and_o now_o despair_v of_o any_o help_n from_o particular_a sect_n i_o hope_v i_o may_v without_o the_o censure_n of_o those_o sect_n resume_v the_o advice_n i_o be_v presume_v to_o offer_v to_o those_o to_o who_o i_o address_v this_o letter_n to_o deist_n i_o mean_v i_o will_v fain_o persuade_v they_o to_o look_v into_o the_o true_a ground_n of_o christianity_n what_o do_v i_o talk_v of_o persuade_v they_o to_o it_o they_o do_v it_o already_o deism_n it-self_n be_v the_o first_o ground_n and_o foundation_n of_o christianity_n let_v they_o observe_v the_o superstructure_n and_o if_o any_o part_n of_o that_o be_v not_o so_o fit_v as_o to_o lie_v even_o and_o smooth_a upon_o this_o foundation_n let_v they_o in_o god_n name_n reject_v it_o such_o ill-hewn_a stuff_n can_v be_v from_o he_o his_o work_n be_v all_o of_o a_o piece_n and_o will_v be_v always_o find_v consistent_a but_o if_o all_o genuine_a christianity_n all_o that_o jesus_n christ_n himself_o make_v essential_a to_o it_o be_v evident_o a_o improvement_n of_o natural_a religion_n which_o i_o call_v deism_n build_v upon_o it_o fit_v to_o it_o compact_v with_o it_o so_o that_o the_o whole_a together_o make_v one_o entire_a body_n or_o system_v of_o law_n just_a and_o reasonable_a worthy_a of_o the_o supreme_a legislator_n from_o who_o they_o proceed_v and_o all_o calculate_v and_o apparent_o contrive_v for_o the_o benefit_n of_o man_n then_o methinks_v i_o shall_v not_o need_v to_o use_v many_o word_n to_o persuade_v any_o one_o to_o embrace_v it_o neither_o be_v that_o my_o intention_n i_o only_o propound_v that_o those_o who_o have_v not_o yet_o examine_v into_o the_o matter_n will_v please_v to_o do_v it_o by_o that_o draught_n of_o christianity_n which_o the_o forementioned_a book_n present_v we_o withal_o and_o let_v they_o resist_v it_o if_o they_o can_v for_o if_o they_o can_v do_v it_o it_o be_v reasonable_a they_o shall_v nay_o as_o we_o be_v man_n it_o be_v impossible_a for_o any_o one_o to_o do_v otherwise_o that_o be_v to_o refuse_v assent_n upon_o conviction_n or_o to_o believe_v contrary_a to_o it_o after_o that_o examination_n i_o refer_v it_o to_o themselves_o to_o enter_v into_o more_o particular_a inquiry_n or_o desist_v as_o they_o shall_v then_o judge_v necessary_a but_o if_o contrary_a to_o my_o expectation_n any_o one_o of_o you_o gentlemen_z to_o who_o i_o have_v address_v this_o too_o tedious_a letter_n disagree_v with_o i_o after_o such_o examination_n in_o what_o i_o have_v now_o at_o last_o particular_o insist_v upon_o i_o beg_v of_o you_o by_o the_o bond_n of_o humanity_n in_o which_o we_o be_v all_o unite_a to_o assist_v i_o in_o shake_v off_o what_o you_o esteem_v to_o be_v delusion_n and_o to_o furnish_v i_o at_o the_o same_o time_n instead_o of_o it_o with_o some_o other_o more_o perfect_a scheme_n of_o thing_n more_o agreeable_a to_o the_o idea_n we_o have_v of_o god_n and_o more_o conducive_a to_o the_o happiness_n of_o man._n take_v only_o those_o two_o consideration_n along_o with_o you_o and_o in_o do_v it_o effectual_o you_o will_v oblige_v not_o only_o i_o but_o all_o mankind_n i_o be_o your_o affectionate_a friend_n errata_fw-la page_n 36._o line_n 19_o read_v que_fw-fr p._n 104._o l._n 8._o r._n vain_a p._n 117._o l._n 19_o r._n this_o finis_fw-la finis_fw-la video_fw-la nonnullis_fw-la videri_fw-la epicurum_n ne_o in_o offensionem_fw-la atheniensium_fw-la caderet_fw-la verbis_fw-la reliquisse_fw-la deos_fw-la re_fw-la sustulisse_fw-la cic._n de_fw-fr nat._n d._n l._n 1._o 1._o tu_fw-la denique_fw-la epicure_n deum_fw-la inermem_fw-la facis_fw-la omnia_fw-la illi_fw-la tela_n omnem_fw-la detraxisti_fw-la potentiam_fw-la et_fw-la ne_fw-la cviquam_fw-la metuendus_fw-la esset_fw-la projecisti_fw-la ipsum_fw-la extra_fw-la mundum_fw-la seneca_n de_fw-fr benef._n l._n 4._o c