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gospel_n to_o be_v write_v either_o by_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o as_o st._n matthew_n and_o st._n john_n or_o by_o the_o disciple_n of_o the_o chief_a apostle_n while_o the_o other_o be_v survive_v as_o st._n mark_n and_o st._n luke_n and_o the_o latter_a give_v this_o account_n of_o his_o undertake_n to_o write_v it_o 4._o viz._n that_o thou_o mighe_v know_v the_o certainty_n of_o those_o thing_n wherein_o thou_o have_v be_v instruct_v his_o instruction_n be_v by_o a_o oral_a tradition_n but_o that_o it_o seem_v want_v something_o to_o strengthen_v and_o confirm_v it_o and_o that_o be_v by_o st._n luke_n writing_n his_o gospel_n how_o can_v they_o add_v any_o assurance_n to_o he_o if_o all_o the_o ground_n of_o his_o certainty_n be_v to_o be_v take_v from_o tradition_n st._n luke_n think_v
it_o necessary_a then_o that_o those_o thing_n which_o concern_v the_o life_n and_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n shall_v be_v put_v into_o write_v that_o they_o may_v be_v more_o certain_o convey_v and_o that_o while_o they_o have_v the_o testimony_n of_o those_o who_o be_v eye-witness_n and_o minister_n of_o the_o word_n 2._o and_o so_o i_o come_v to_o the_o second_o rule_n of_o discern_v the_o primitive_a doctrine_n of_o christ_n viz._n the_o write_n of_o the_o apostle_n when_o matter_n of_o doctrine_n come_v to_o be_v contest_v be_v the_o infallible_a rule_n whereby_o they_o be_v to_o judge_v which_o be_v the_o true_a and_o genuine_a doctrine_n of_o christ._n there_o be_v some_o who_o pretend_v that_o the_o apostle_n write_n be_v mere_o accidental_a and_o occasional_a thing_n but_o that_o the_o main_a design_n be_v to_o lodge_v the_o great_a assurance_n of_o the_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n in_o tradition_n from_o one_o to_o another_o and_o what_o they_o write_v be_v not_o to_o make_v any_o rule_n of_o faith_n but_o only_o to_o give_v some_o good_a advice_n to_o those_o church_n they_o write_v to_o but_o i_o shall_v now_o prove_v that_o the_o write_n of_o the_o apostle_n be_v intend_v by_o the_o holy_a ghost_n to_o be_v a_o stand_a rule_n whereby_o the_o church_n be_v to_o judge_v which_o be_v the_o true_a and_o genuine_a doctrine_n of_o christ._n 1._o from_o the_o reason_n and_o occasion_n of_o write_v the_o book_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n 1._o as_o to_o the_o gospel_n we_o must_v distinguish_v the_o general_n reason_n of_o write_v they_o from_o the_o particular_a occasion_n as_o to_o the_o several_a gospel_n the_o general_a reason_n be_v to_o be_v draw_v from_o the_o divine_a wisdom_n which_o inspire_v and_o guide_v they_o the_o particular_a occasion_n relate_v to_o the_o circumstance_n of_o write_v they_o the_o general_a reason_n be_v that_o which_o irenaeus_n give_v 1._o viz._n that_o the_o gospel_n which_o they_o have_v first_o preach_v be_v by_o the_o will_n of_o god_n put_v into_o write_v that_o it_o may_v be_v a_o foundation_n and_o pillar_n of_o our_o faith._n not_o mere_o to_o keep_v up_o the_o remembrance_n of_o it_o which_o fevardentius_n yield_v and_o thereby_o overthrow_v the_o infallibility_n of_o oral_a tradition_n but_o that_o so_o it_o may_v be_v a_o certain_a rule_n of_o faith_n to_o all_o age_n the_o evangelist_n say_v st._n augustin_n 54._o be_v but_o christ_n hand_n which_o himself_o as_o the_o head_n direct_v in_o write_v the_o gospel_n and_o therefore_o we_o be_v to_o look_v on_o the_o gospel_n as_o his_o own_o handwriting_n the_o holy_a ghost_n say_v he_o direct_v the_o mind_n of_o the_o evangelist_n 53._o as_o to_o the_o order_n and_o manner_n of_o their_o write_n which_o vary_v according_o to_o the_o particular_a occasion_n but_o yet_o be_v all_o subservient_fw-fr to_o the_o general_n reason_n st._n matthew_n write_v the_o first_o gospel_n 2._o say_v eusebius_n to_o the_o jew_n to_o who_o he_o have_v preach_v because_o go_v into_o other_o part_n he_o will_v supply_v the_o want_n of_o his_o presence_n among_o they_o by_o his_o write_n what_o need_v this_o if_o tradition_n be_v a_o certain_a and_o infallible_a way_n of_o convey_v the_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n st._n chrysostom_n say_v 〈…〉_z the_o jewish_a christian_n desire_v he_o to_o put_v into_o write_v what_o they_o have_v hear_v he_o preach_v do_v not_o they_o understand_v the_o force_n of_o tradition_n better_o or_o why_o shall_v st._n matthew_n put_v they_o out_o of_o a_o infallible_a way_n the_o authority_n of_o the_o imperfect_a work_n on_o st._n matthew_n say_v prâ—â—ogo_n they_o desire_v he_o to_o write_v his_o gospel_n that_o where_o ever_o they_o go_v they_o may_v carry_v a_o account_n of_o their_o faith_n with_o they_o clemens_n alexandrinus_n say_v the_o occasion_n of_o writing_n st._n mark_v gospel_n be_v 15._o that_o the_o people_n be_v not_o satisfy_v with_o a_o unwritten_a delivery_n of_o the_o holy_a doctrine_n and_o therefore_o importune_v mark_n who_o be_v the_o disciple_n of_o st._n peter_n that_o he_o will_v leave_v a_o monument_n of_o his_o doctrine_n in_o write_v which_o st._n peter_n understand_v by_o revelation_n approve_v and_o confirm_v his_o gospel_n for_o the_o use_n of_o the_o church_n origen_n say_v he_o write_v it_o according_a to_o st._n peter_n direction_n 25._o epiphanius_n say_v by_o his_o authority_n athanasius_n say_v it_o be_v dictate_v by_o he_o at_o rome_n 155._o it_o seem_v that_o peter_n himself_o do_v not_o think_v fit_a to_o leave_v the_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n to_o a_o oral_a tradition_n even_o at_o rome_n but_o irenaeus_n think_v it_o be_v write_v after_o st._n peter_n decease_n 5._o who_o therein_o differ_v from_o the_o rest_n and_o show_v how_o uncertain_a mere_a tradition_n be_v eccles_n tertullian_n say_v st._n mark_v gospel_n be_v attribute_v to_o st._n peter_n and_o st._n luke_n to_o st._n paul._n st._n jerom_n mention_n the_o opinion_n of_o some_o that_o when_o st._n paul_n say_v according_a to_o my_o gospel_n he_o mean_v that_o of_o st._n luke_n but_o st._n luke_n himself_o plain_o give_v a_o account_n of_o the_o occasion_n of_o his_o write_n luc._n st._n ambrose_n think_v by_o those_o who_o have_v take_v in_o hand_n to_o write_v of_o those_o thing_n which_o be_v firm_o believe_v among_o we_o 1._o he_o mean_v the_o author_n of_o the_o counterfeit_a gospel_n as_o that_o of_o the_o twelve_o apostle_n and_o st._n mathias_n but_o we_o have_v no_o evidence_n that_o these_o be_v old_a than_o st._n luke_n his_o meaning_n be_v that_o in_o those_o part_n where_o he_o be_v there_o be_v some_o who_o do_v undertake_v to_o give_v a_o account_n of_o the_o life_n and_o action_n of_o christ_n who_o want_v the_o advantage_n which_o he_o have_v have_v have_v great_a opportunity_n of_o know_a circumstance_n from_o the_o eye-witness_n and_o therefore_o he_o set_v himself_o to_o give_v a_o exact_a relation_n of_o they_o that_o not_o only_a theophilus_n 51._o but_o every_o one_o that_o answer_v his_o name_n may_v know_v the_o certainty_n of_o those_o thing_n wherein_o they_o have_v be_v instruct_v but_o do_v not_o they_o know_v the_o certainty_n of_o these_o thing_n by_o the_o apostle_n preach_v yes_o but_o the_o thing_n they_o hear_v may_v slip_v out_o of_o their_o memory_n and_o to_o prevent_v this_o say_v theophylact_v st._n luke_n write_v his_o gospel_n luc._n that_o they_o may_v retain_v these_o thing_n with_o great_a certainty_n and_o word_n that_o be_v only_o speak_v be_v more_o easy_o misunderstand_v prol_n which_o maldonat_a assign_v as_o one_o great_a reason_n of_o the_o evangelist_n write_v their_o several_a gospel_n st._n john_n likewise_o give_v a_o account_n himself_o of_o the_o reason_n of_o his_o write_n and_o that_o the_o great_a imaginable_a but_o these_o be_v write_v that_o you_o may_v believe_v that_o jesus_n be_v the_o christ_n 31._o the_o son_n of_o god_n and_o that_o believe_v you_o may_v have_v life_n through_o his_o name_n why_o write_v that_o you_o may_v believe_v do_v the_o apostle_n in_o his_o old_a age_n mistrust_v the_o understanding_n or_o the_o memory_n of_o christian_n be_v not_o the_o apostle_n teach_v sufficient_a to_o keep_v up_o the_o principle_n of_o the_o christian_a faith_n in_o the_o heart_n of_o the_o people_n no_o not_o while_n st._n john_n himself_o be_v yet_o live_v he_o have_v certain_o a_o very_a mean_a opinion_n of_o tradition_n that_o think_v it_o necessary_a for_o he_o to_o write_v that_o they_o may_v believe_v that_o jesus_n be_v the_o son_n of_o god._n for_o there_o be_v no_o point_n of_o faith_n more_o necessary_a than_o this_o which_o be_v require_v of_o all_o person_n to_o be_v own_v before_o baptism_n yet_o for_o all_o this_o and_o whatever_o else_o can_v be_v say_v st._n john_n think_v it_o necessary_a that_o these_o thing_n be_v write_v that_o they_o may_v believe_v he_o live_v the_o long_a of_o any_o of_o the_o apostle_n and_o therefore_o see_v how_o little_a tradition_n be_v to_o be_v trust_v for_o it_o be_v already_o corrupt_v in_o so_o weighty_a a_o point_n as_o the_o divinity_n of_o christ._n cerinthus_n and_o his_o follower_n allow_v the_o general_a tradition_n of_o the_o church_n that_o jesus_n be_v the_o son_n of_o god_n but_o then_o they_o give_v their_o own_o sense_n of_o it_o by_o extraordinary_a favour_n and_o adoption_n eccles._n and_o from_o hence_o the_o father_n agree_v that_o st._n john_n take_v occasion_n to_o write_v his_o divine_a gospel_n to_o clear_v this_o fundamental_a point_n of_o the_o christian_a faith._n and_o withal_o observe_v that_o the_o other_o evangelist_n insist_v chief_o on_o the_o action_n of_o christ_n for_o one_o year_n 51._o viz._n after_o john_n imprisonment_n he_o resume_v the_o whole_a matter_n matth._n and_o add_v those_o thing_n which_o be_v omit_v by_o the_o rest_n 24._o that_o so_o