Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
book_n time_n world_n write_v 2,689 5 5.2806 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A82274 A defence of Mr Toland, in a letter to himself 1697 (1697) Wing D814A; ESTC R215012 11,003 23

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a_o defence_n of_o mr_n toland_n in_o a_o letter_n to_o himself_o a_o defence_n of_o mr_n toland_n in_o a_o letter_n to_o himself_o london_n print_v for_o e._n whitlock_n near_o stationers-hall_n mdcxcvii_o a_o defence_n of_o mr_n toland_n in_o a_o letter_n to_o himself_o sir_n i_o have_v not_o the_o honour_n to_o know_v you_o any_o other_o way_n than_o by_o your_o write_n and_o character_n but_o from_o thence_o i_o have_v entertain_v such_o a_o opinion_n of_o you_o that_o i_o think_v myself_o oblige_v to_o justify_v you_o to_o the_o world_n in_o such_o thing_n as_o i_o judge_v capable_a of_o any_o defence_n and_o to_o desire_v you_o to_o undertake_v your_o own_o vindication_n where_o i_o find_v myself_o at_o a_o loss_n how_o to_o serve_v you_o some_o time_n ago_o you_o oblige_v the_o world_n with_o a_o book_n entitle_v christianity_n not_o mysterious_a which_o i_o perceive_v have_v give_v abundance_n of_o offence_n here_o in_o england_n and_o have_v draw_v upon_o you_o the_o censure_n 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deist_n they_o believe_v you_o will_v be_v best_o please_v with_o the_o latter_a title_n and_o they_o wonder_v i_o shall_v be_v so_o unacquainted_a with_o the_o method_n use_v by_o the_o enemy_n of_o our_o religion_n as_o not_o to_o know_v it_o be_v a_o usual_a artifice_n with_o they_o to_o write_v booty_n and_o to_o cover_v themselves_o with_o the_o profession_n of_o religion_n in_o order_n to_o undermine_v it_o more_o secure_o and_o give_v their_o impiety_n a_o easy_a vent_n for_o the_o truth_n of_o which_o observation_n they_o quote_v mr._n blount_n who_o in_o the_o oracle_n of_o reason_n plain_o own_v himself_o a_o deist_n and_o yet_o when_o he_o publish_v his_o philostratus_n he_o will_v have_v pretend_v to_o take_v it_o very_o ill_a if_o you_o have_v say_v he_o be_v not_o in_o earnest_n in_o all_o the_o encomium_n he_o there_o bestow_v upon_o the_o christian_a religion_n and_o his_o bless_a saviour_n though_o at_o the_o same_o time_n it_o be_v his_o design_n to_o have_v you_o 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