consider_v the_o three_o or_o four_o first_o verse_n of_o the_o 13_o the_o chapter_n of_o deuteronomy_n where_o god_n by_o moses_n say_v thus_o to_o the_o child_n of_o israel_n if_o there_o arise_v among_o you_o a_o prophet_n or_o a_o dreamer_n of_o dream_n and_o give_v thou_o a_o sign_n or_o a_o wonder_n and_o the_o sign_n or_o the_o wonder_n come_v to_o pass_v whereof_o he_o speak_v unto_o thou_o say_v let_v we_o go_v after_o other_o god_n and_o let_v we_o serve_v they_o thou_o shall_v not_o hearken_v unto_o the_o word_n of_o that_o prophet_n or_o that_o dreamer_n of_o dream_n for_o the_o lord_n your_o god_n prove_v you_o to_o know_v whether_o you_o love_v the_o lord_n your_o god_n with_o all_o your_o heart_n and_o with_o all_o your_o soul_n etc._n etc._n theoph._n that_o place_n be_v to_o very_o good_a purpose_n quote_v by_o you_o and_o these_o two_o thing_n be_v plain_o to_o be_v gather_v from_o it_o first_o that_o we_o be_v to_o consider_v the_o doctrine_n itself_o before_o we_o 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that_o be_v plain_o unworthy_a of_o god_n to_o revele_v or_o that_o contain_v a_o manifest_a contradiction_n to_o any_o of_o his_o attribute_n but_o when_o positive_a goodness_n be_v also_o therein_o observable_a that_o be_v a_o high_a congruity_n and_o agreeableness_n with_o the_o divine_a perfection_n such_o doctrine_n make_v miracle_n a_o more_o abundant_o strong_a argument_n that_o the_o preacher_n of_o they_o be_v no_o impostor_n but_o that_o he_o come_v from_o heaven_n upon_o god_n message_n philal._n but_o there_o be_v learned_a man_n that_o distinguish_v betwixt_o miracle_n and_o wonder_n assert_v that_o the_o former_a be_v sufficient_a motive_n of_o credibility_n though_o not_o the_o latter_a theoph._n though_o these_o two_o ought_v to_o be_v distinguish_v yet_o i_o conceive_v that_o distinction_n will_v signify_v very_o little_a when_o apply_v to_o this_o matter_n for_o i_o can_v question_v but_o that_o it_o may_v lie_v within_o the_o compass_n of_o evil_a spirit_n power_n 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scripture_n assure_v they_o be_v and_o moreover_o they_o seem_v to_o i_o to_o assert_v that_o christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n may_v have_v spare_v their_o mighty_a work_n for_o who_o will_v deny_v that_o the_o spirit_n immediate_a testimony_n be_v alone_o abundant_o sufficient_a for_o that_o purpose_n but_o beside_o those_o that_o talk_v thus_o do_v apparent_o run_v in_o as_o gross_a a_o circle_n as_o that_o we_o accuse_v the_o papist_n of_o for_o as_o they_o prove_v the_o scripture_n by_o their_o church_n and_o their_o church_n by_o the_o scripture_n so_o these_o prove_v the_o scripture_n by_o this_o testimony_n of_o the_o holy_a ghost_n but_o then_o can_v prove_v so_o much_o as_o that_o there_o be_v any_o such_o person_n but_o by_o the_o scripture_n and_o once_o more_o if_o there_o be_v any_o truth_n in_o this_o opinion_n there_o be_v nothing_o to_o be_v do_v for_o the_o conviction_n of_o infidel_n for_o this_o internal_a testimony_n can_v be_v a_o argument_n to_o none_o but_o those_o 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to_o affect_v to_o be_v man_n of_o great_a power_n and_o knowledge_n but_o to_o be_v most_o holy_a and_o righteous_a love_a and_o merciful_a in_o a_o word_n the_o new_a testament_n i_o be_o sure_a give_v the_o most_o amiable_a account_n imaginable_a of_o the_o divine_a nature_n and_o so_o do_v the_o old_a too_o even_o when_o god_n appear_v in_o the_o most_o frightful_a form_n do_v he_o proclaim_v himself_o the_o lord_n the_o lord_n god_n gracious_a and_o merciful_a pardon_v iniquity_n transgression_n and_o sin_n and_o though_o it_o follow_v that_o he_o will_v in_o no_o wise_a clear_a the_o guilty_a i._n e._n the_o impenitent_a yet_o that_o be_v so_o far_o from_o be_v a_o contradiction_n to_o his_o goodness_n that_o it_o be_v a_o far_a declaration_n of_o it_o for_o otherwise_o he_o will_v not_o have_v that_o part_n thereof_o that_o be_v call_v righteousness_n he_o be_v there_o represent_v as_o a_o god_n good_a to_o all_o and_o who_o mercy_n be_v over_o all_o his_o work_n as_o a_o god_n 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i_o have_v deserve_v they_o by_o any_o thing_n i_o have_v now_o say_v doubtless_o there_o be_v no_o christian_a no_o nor_o any_o theist_n neither_o but_o will_v say_v the_o same_o and_o though_o i_o prefer_v your_o name_n before_o my_o own_o yet_o be_v i_o give_v i_o for_o nought_o if_o i_o do_v not_o thus_o speak_v of_o god_n for_o then_o to_o be_v sure_a i_o can_v make_v no_o pretence_n to_o be_v a_o friend_n to_o truth_n theoph._n but_o you_o speak_v what_o i_o now_o hear_v from_o you_o with_o such_o a_o impetus_fw-la as_o be_v a_o demonstration_n to_o i_o that_o you_o have_v a_o most_o quick_a and_o deep_a sense_n of_o what_o you_o say_v and_o that_o you_o be_v infinite_o concern_v that_o it_o shall_v be_v true_a philal._n but_o i_o pray_v sir_n answer_v i_o be_v there_o any_o christian_n that_o dare_v deny_v this_o nay_o that_o will_v not_o most_o hearty_o acknowledge_v it_o theoph._n true_o philalethes_n i_o dare_v not_o say_v there_o be_v but_o i_o dare_v say_v this_o that_o 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lover_n of_o god_n and_o goodness_n do_v immediate_o tend_v to_o rob_v god_n of_o his_o goodness_n in_o which_o word_n i_o imply_v all_o his_o moral_a perfection_n and_o to_o lay_v a_o foundation_n for_o impiety_n and_o irreligion_n philal._n i_o know_v the_o notion_n you_o chief_o mean_v be_v misery_n the_o make_n of_o man_n sin_n and_o consequent_a misery_n the_o unavoidable_a effect_n of_o god_n decree_n theoph._n you_o can_v not_o well_o miss_v of_o my_o meaning_n nor_o i_o of_o you_o these_o doctrine_n must_v needs_o be_v principal_o in_o both_o our_o thought_n and_o i_o must_v tell_v you_o that_o the_o divine_n we_o be_v discourse_v of_o do_v set_v themselves_o against_o both_o these_o in_o good_a earnest_n and_o they_o profess_v that_o they_o do_v so_o for_o no_o other_o reason_n than_o because_o they_o have_v a_o most_o clear_a sense_n of_o the_o mischievous_a effect_n of_o they_o philal._n but_o do_v all_o those_o that_o hold_v that_o god_n do_v absolute_o predetermine_v man_n to_o eternal_a misery_n make_v he_o absolute_o to_o decree_v man_n sin_n too_o in_o order_n to_o it_o i_o think_v they_o do_v not_o theoph._n no_o there_o be_v many_o that_o assert_v the_o one_o that_o no_o less_o deny_v the_o other_o separate_v but_o i_o confess_v i_o do_v not_o understand_v how_o they_o can_v for_o if_o man_n be_v by_o god_n avoidable_a and_o absolute_o determine_v to_o the_o end_n he_o must_v do_v more_o than_o decree_n bare_o to_o permit_v the_o mean_n for_o they_o must_v necessary_o sin_n that_o god_n absolute_a decree_n may_v infallible_o take_v effect_n which_o it_o be_v possible_a it_o may_v not_o if_o they_o be_v only_o permit_v and_o not_o necessitate_v thereunto_o for_o then_o mankind_n may_v have_v never_o fall_v philal._n i_o wonder_v that_o all_o shall_v not_o see_v this_o but_o theophilus_n why_o shall_v those_o that_o maintain_v that_o desperate_a doctrine_n of_o god_n absolute_a decree_a man_n sin_n be_v so_o rich_a as_o not_o to_o acknowledge_v he_o 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