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Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
nature_n adam_n law_n moral_a 4,944 5 10.5377 5 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A66875 The reasonablenes of scripture-beleif a discourse giving some account of those rational grounds upon which the Bible is received as the word of God / written by Sir Charles Wolseley ... Wolseley, Charles, Sir, 1630?-1714. 1672 (1672) Wing W3313; ESTC R235829 198,284 556

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to_o he_o and_o teach_v we_o in_o a_o duemanner_n how_o to_o perform_v the_o duty_n of_o nature_n he_o do_v not_o only_o do_v this_o not_o only_o rectify_v but_o far_o exceed_v all_o natural_a dictate_v of_o worship_n and_o induce_v much_o into_o his_o service_n that_o receive_v its_o virtue_n and_o worth_a single_o from_o institution_n and_o no_o otherwise_o never_o since_o man_n be_v first_o make_v have_v god_n leave_v he_o single_o to_o the_o natural_a law_n of_o his_o own_o be_v for_o the_o payment_n of_o that_o homage_n he_o owe_v he_o even_o to_o adam_n in_o his_o innocent_a state_n god_n think_v fit_a to_o give_v a_o law_n supernatural_a a_o law_n which_o for_o the_o matter_n of_o it_o have_v no_o foundation_n at_o all_o in_o adam_n nature_n further_o than_o that_o he_o be_v by_o his_o own_o nature_n general_o oblige_v to_o do_v whatsoever_o god_n require_v of_o he_o much_o more_o may_v we_o expect_v it_o since_o the_o fall_n the_o whole_a method_n of_o our_o recovery_n be_v supernatural_a nor_o be_v it_o fit_a to_o be_v think_v that_o god_n who_o have_v make_v man_n not_o only_o under_o a_o obligation_n to_o the_o performance_n of_o all_o moral_a goodness_n but_o have_v also_o implant_v in_o his_o be_v a_o desite_fw-la of_o a_o peculiar_a and_o supernatural_a converse_n with_o he_o and_o give_v he_o such_o noble_a faculty_n so_o capable_a of_o it_o shall_v not_o promulge_v some_o particular_a law_n by_o which_o he_o may_v receive_v a_o full_a and_o satisfy_a direction_n for_o the_o attainment_n of_o it_o or_o indeed_o that_o god_n shall_v not_o direct_v man_n to_o the_o further_a approach_n they_o be_v able_a to_o make_v towards_o he_o and_o glorify_v himself_o by_o appoint_v a_o way_n to_o the_o utmost_a homage_n and_o service_n their_o rational_a being_n be_v capable_a of_o four_o some_o thing_n most_o essential_o necessary_a to_o the_o be_v of_o all_o religion_n and_o to_o the_o present_a and_o future_a good_a of_o mankind_n be_v not_o discoverable_a 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frame_v very_o little_o better_a ideaa'_v of_o those_o thing_n to_o give_v one_o instance_n of_o many_o plutarch_n one_o of_o the_o wise_a and_o best_a of_o the_o heathen_n in_o the_o treatise_n he_o write_v upon_o this_o motto_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d give_v no_o better_a a_o account_n of_o the_o future_a state_n of_o man_n soul_n then_o that_o the_o wicked_a be_v only_o overwhelm_v in_o the_o perpetual_a oblivion_n of_o all_o thing_n and_o for_o the_o place_n and_o condition_n of_o such_o as_o shall_v be_v happy_a hereafter_o in_o his_o consolation_n direct_v to_o apollonius_n he_o adhere_v to_o the_o opinion_n of_o pindar_n who_o describe_v those_o thing_n in_o the_o same_o fictious_a and_o ridiculous_a way_n that_o virgil_n do_v direct_o imitate_v pindar_n therein_o epicurus_n indeed_o pretend_v to_o some_o wise_a sentiment_n but_o the_o end_n of_o they_o be_v to_o render_v all_o notion_n of_o a_o future_a condition_n fabulous_a and_o to_o allegorise_v all_o that_o be_v 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bring_v we_o to_o the_o best_a way_n of_o live_v we_o be_v capable_a of_o in_o this_o world_n both_o in_o respect_n of_o god_n of_o ourselves_o and_o all_o other_o the_o doctrine_n and_o precept_n of_o this_o holy_a book_n be_v so_o justify_v to_o we_o from_o the_o light_n of_o our_o own_o reason_n and_o do_v so_o direct_o tend_v to_o the_o perfection_n of_o our_o nature_n and_o so_o guide_v we_o to_o what_o we_o ourselves_o judge_v to_o be_v best_a that_o it_o be_v extreme_a unreasonable_a to_o judge_v it_o a_o effect_n of_o the_o vile_a and_o worst_a sort_n of_o imposture_n never_o any_o doctrine_n teach_v man_n to_o live_v so_o dutiful_o to_o god_n so_o comfortable_o to_o themselves_o and_o so_o useful_o one_o to_o another_o so_o tuneable_o in_o all_o holiness_n and_o righteousness_n as_o this_o of_o the_o bible_n do_v the_o doctrine_n of_o this_o book_n be_v most_o transparent_a beam_n of_o divine_a perfection_n they_o be_v a_o rule_n give_v according_a to_o what_o be_v eternal_o 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