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they_o have_v be_v by_o degree_n alter_v from_o their_o first_o apprehension_n by_o the_o cunning_a craftiness_n of_o those_o who_o lie_v in_o wait_n to_o deceive_v they_o after_o the_o decease_n of_o the_o apostle_n the_o common_a tradition_n of_o the_o apostolical_a church_n be_v useful_a in_o these_o case_n 1._o to_o convey_v down_o the_o authentic_a write_n of_o the_o apostle_n or_o evangelist_n which_o be_v deliver_v to_o any_o of_o they_o 2._o to_o bear_v testimony_n against_o any_o pretend_a write_n which_o be_v not_o first_o receive_v by_o the_o apostolical_a church_n to_o which_o they_o be_v say_v to_o be_v write_v for_o there_o can_v be_v no_o negative_a testimony_n of_o more_o force_n than_o that_o it_o be_v improbable_a to_o the_o utmost_a degree_n that_o such_o a_o church_n shall_v not_o know_v or_o not_o make_v know_v any_o true_a apostolical_a write_n 3._o to_o overthrow_v any_o pretence_n to_o a_o secret_a tradition_n from_o the_o apostle_n different_a from_o what_o 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which_o be_v not_o like_o a_o river_n which_o grow_v great_a by_o run_v but_o like_o a_o mineral_n water_n which_o lose_v its_o strength_n by_o be_v carry_v too_o far_o we_o find_v in_o the_o time_n of_o papias_n who_o live_v but_o in_o the_o second_o century_n the_o authority_n of_o bare_a tradition_n be_v mighty_o sink_v for_o eusebius_n say_v he_o converse_v 39â—_n with_o the_o disciple_n of_o our_o lord_n and_o his_o apostle_n he_o say_v of_o himself_o that_o he_o go_v up_o and_o down_o to_o they_o to_o get_v what_o he_o can_v from_o they_o have_v a_o great_a esteem_n of_o what_o he_o can_v learn_v from_o they_o than_o of_o what_o be_v write_v and_o what_o advantage_n do_v this_o bring_v to_o the_o church_n it_o bring_v some_o idle_a opinion_n into_o reputation_n say_v eusebius_n for_o afterward_o they_o think_v it_o enough_o to_o fix_v they_o upon_o papias_n but_o how_o be_v it_o possible_a for_o he_o to_o mistake_v eusebius_n say_v that_o be_v a_o man_n of_o mean_a capacity_n 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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 thâ—_n 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 irenoeus_n give_v viz._n that_o the_o gospel_n which_o 1._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 remembranee_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 be_v but_o christ_n 54._o 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 53._o say_v he_o direct_v the_o mind_n of_o the_o evangelist_n 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 say_v eusebius_n to_o the_o jew_n to_o who_o he_o have_v 24._o 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 the_o jewish_a christian_n desire_v he_o to_o put_v into_o write_v matth_n 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 author_n of_o the_o imperfect_a work_n on_o st._n matthew_n say_v they_o desire_v he_o to_o prologo_fw-la write_v his_o gospel_n that_o wherever_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_n be_v 15._o gospel_n be_v 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 epiphanius_n 155._o 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 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 irenoeus_n think_v it_o be_v write_v after_o st._n peter_n decease_n 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 tertullian_n say_v st._n mark_n be_v eccles_n gospel_n be_v attribute_v to_o st._n peter_n and_o st._n luke_n be_v 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 writing_n st._n ambrose_n think_v by_o those_o who_o have_v take_v 1._o 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 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 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forbid_v will_v the_o righteous_a judge_n of_o all_o the_o earth_n punish_v mankind_n for_o his_o own_o act_n which_o they_o can_v not_o avoid_v then_o we_o must_v yield_v that_o there_o be_v something_o in_o the_o manner_n of_o the_o divine_a prescience_n which_o be_v above_o our_o comprehension_n and_o the_o most_o search_a and_o inquisitive_a man_n have_v be_v force_v to_o yield_v it_o at_o last_o as_o to_o the_o connection_n between_o the_o certainty_n of_o prescience_n and_o the_o liberty_n of_o humane_a action_n be_v it_o not_o then_o much_o better_a to_o sit_v down_o quiet_o at_o first_o adore_v the_o infiniteness_n of_o god_n incomprehensible_a perfection_n than_o after_o all_o the_o huffing_n and_o dispute_n of_o man_n to_o say_v in_o ignorantiâ_fw-la solâ_fw-la quietem_fw-la invenio_fw-la as_o the_o great_a schoolman_n do_v sure_o then_o here_o 4._o be_v something_o plain_o reveal_v and_o yet_o the_o manner_n of_o it_o be_v still_o a_o mystery_n to_o we_o i_o shall_v not_o now_o insist_v on_o any_o more_o of_o the_o particular_a attribute_n of_o god_n but_o only_o in_o general_n i_o desire_v to_o know_v whether_o they_o believe_v they_o to_o be_v finite_a or_o infinite_a if_o to_o be_v finite_a than_o they_o must_v have_v certain_a bound_n and_o limit_n which_o they_o can_v exceed_v and_o that_o must_v either_o be_v from_o the_o imperfection_n of_o nature_n or_o from_o a_o superior_a cause_n both_o which_o be_v repugnant_a to_o the_o very_o be_v of_o god_n if_o they_o believe_v they_o to_o be_v infinite_a how_o can_v they_o comprehend_v they_o we_o be_v strange_o puzzle_v in_o plain_a ordinary_a finite_a thing_n but_o it_o be_v madness_n to_o pretend_v to_o comprehend_v what_o be_v infinite_a and_o yet_o if_o the_o perfection_n of_o god_n be_v not_o infinite_a they_o can_v belong_v to_o he_o i_o shall_v only_o add_v in_o consequence_n to_o this_o assertion_n that_o if_o nothing_o be_v to_o be_v believe_v but_o what_o may_v be_v comprehend_v the_o very_a be_v of_o god_n must_v be_v reject_v too_o and_o therefore_o i_o desire_v all_o such_o who_o talk_v so_o warm_o against_o any_o mystery_n in_o religion_n to_o consider_v who_o work_v it_o be_v they_o be_v do_v even_o they_o who_o under_o this_o pretence_n go_v about_o to_o overthrow_v all_o religion_n for_o say_v they_o religion_n be_v a_o mystery_n in_o its_o own_o nature_n not_o this_o or_o that_o or_o the_o other_o religion_n but_o they_o be_v all_o alike_o all_o be_v mystery_n and_o that_o be_v but_o another_o name_n for_o fraud_n and_o imposture_n what_o be_v the_o heathen_a mystery_n but_o trick_n of_o priest-craft_n and_o such_o be_v maintain_v and_o keep_v up_o in_o all_o kind_n of_o religion_n if_o therefore_o these_o man_n who_o talk_v against_o mystery_n understand_v themselves_o they_o must_v in_o pursuance_n of_o their_o principle_n reject_v one_o god_n as_o well_o as_o three_o person_n for_o as_o long_o as_o they_o believe_v a_o infinite_a and_o incomprehensible_a be_v 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