Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	old_a	prophet_n	testament_n	5,085	5	8.1969	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51650	Christian conferences demonstrating the truth of the Christian religion and morality / by F. Malebranche. To which is added his Meditations on humility and repentance.	Malebranche, Nicolas, 1638-1715.; Malebranche, Nicolas, 1638-1715. Meditations concerning humility and repentance.	1695 (1695)	Wing M314; ESTC R25492	132,087	237

than Moses 'T is one essential quality of a Cheat to avoid the Light but the Miracles of Moses were wrought before all the people in the sight of Six hundred thousand fighting Men there was a great number of them and some were repeated every day for many years together But not to stay upon these unprofitable proofs let us reflect upon the manner how the Israelites were nourished in the Wilderness forty years every morning the Earth was covered with Manna except the Sabbath day when it was kept till the next day it was corrupted and full of Worms except the Sabbath day This Manna ceased to fall when the Israelites had once eaten of the fruits of the Land of Canaan and from that time they never saw it ●…ll Can one doubt of a Fact which was continued Forty years Or can one attribute to a natural Cause this Rain or Dew which fell but for Forty years which ceased to fall every Saturday and which could not be kept without corruption but upon Saturdays Is Saturdays Air or Sun different from that of other days Did the first Repast which the Israelites had in the Land of Canaan change the face of Heaven or the situation of the Stars which caused it to rain Manna Is' t not evident by these Circumstances that this Rain was not Natural Arist But what proofs have you that the Pentateuch Joshua and other Books from whence you borrow what is spoken of Manna are true If they were Fabulous Theod. If they were Fabulous Aristarchus the Jews were Men of a different nature from us they were Fools and stupid to a very improbable degree Think you Aristarchus that Men who have but a little of common Sense would without Reason or Examination receive Books as authentic and as a Rule of their Faith and Conduct I 'll explain my self Think you that a whole Nation would submit to a Law so very severe and painful by the force of Arms or some reason of Interest without being compelled thereto as 't were by Divine Authority Think you that upon a Fabulous History derived from our Ancestors we should be so stupid and insensible blindly to submit our selves to a Ceremony so shameful and incommodious as is that of Circumcision How can it be imagined that the Jews receiv'd the Law which they observe and the Books which they call Canonical without consideration These Books flatter them not they continually menace and reproach them with the stupidity infidelity and malice of their Ancestors The Jews were not obliged by force of Arms to receive these authentic Books wherefore do they receive them wherefore do they preserve them so carefully wherefore are there no Men so constant as they to the Religion of their Fathers 'T is without doubt either because the Jews are not Men as we are or rather because their Religion and Books have all the possible characters of truth But Aristarchus you believe that God hath made us to know and love him and to make use of the most reasonable Religion for there must be an outward worship for Men that make use of their senses and who live in society We must then of all Books that treat of Religion believe those that have the greatest appearance of truth but there are none comparable to the Scripture for the Reasons I have told you as also for innumerable other Reasons We ought then to look upon these Books as our Rule and there to search the Religion which we ought to sollow And if we deceive our selves in the choice of these Books our Error would only depend on this that there would be no mark to discern sacred Books from profane or rather from this that there would be neither sacred Books nor Religion which were pleasing to God Arist What you say Theodorus is highly reasonable but my Friend will rashly tell me that Mahomet was a Prophet and that the Alcoran is a Divine Book how would you have me to answer him Theod. Compare the Miracles of Moses with those of that Impostor and shew him what difference there is betwixt his making a tame Pigeon whisper in his Ear before all the people or making a famisht Bull bring him a Book through the multitude or attributing a * The Falling-sickness Disease shameful enough to the apparition and dazzling lustre of the Angel Gabriel and the Miracles which confirm the mission of Moses or the covering the Earth with Insects changing Water into Blood filling the Air with thick darkness agitating it by Thunder inflaming it by Lightning making it to rain celestial Food for forty years to be conducted by a Cloud in the day-time and Fire by night both of them in form of a Pillar I pass over many other Miracles that God performed by Moses in the sight of all Egypt and all the people of Israel The Alcoran relates no such Miracles in favour of Mahomet it does not so much as mention those which I have already spoken of which are such gross cheats * Chap. of the Cow of Women and other things of the version of Du Rier and 't is well known that many Men despised the false Prophet which is the Author of them because he did no Miracle But Aristarchus let us not insist altogether upon this the Alcoran destroys itself by itself as well as Iudaism as you shall see presently I 'll suppose that Mahomet was a Prophet and that his Book is as authentic as the Old Testament grant to me that there is at least an equal Authority to two Books so different and let us first see which is the Religion that the holy Scripture propounds to us Arist How Theodorus will you be a Jew Theod. Yes certainly Aristarchus if Judaism be the Law which the holy Scripture proposes to us as capable of making most perfect and happy as for me I look upon holy Scripture as a Divine Book but perhaps Judaism as to the Letter is not the end of the Law Take heed Aristarchus think you that Beasts have a Soul I mean a Substance which animates or informs their Body and which is more noble than it Arist To what purpose Theod. Only answer Arist Yes I believe that Beasts have a Soul and that their Soul is more noble than their Body Theod. I 'll prove that you are mistaken what is the end the good or happiness of Beasts think you that Beasts have any other natural Felicity than the enjoyment of their Bodies Arist No I believe the end of Beasts is to eat and drink Theod. Then God hath made the Soul of Beasts for the enjoyment of their Body but the Soul of Beasts is more noble than their Body Then God has not well ordered his work nor proposed to Beasts an end worthy of them if that which makes them more happy and perfect must be more noble than that which receives its happiness and perfection Thus you ought to observe that God has not given to Beasts a Soul distinct from their