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my_o design_n plain_o oblige_v i_o to_o do_v the_o other_o branch_n of_o the_o gospel_n or_o doctrine_n of_o christ_n which_o concern_v the_o practice_n of_o a_o christian_a and_o may_v proper_o be_v style_v christian_a morality_n consist_v of_o such_o rule_n and_o measure_n of_o action_n as_o every_o one_o that_o believe_v in_o christ_n be_v oblige_v to_o conform_v his_o life_n to_o and_o without_o which_o his_o faith_n be_v dead_a and_o vain_a he_o be_v still_o in_o his_o sin_n and_o he_o must_v expect_v the_o wage_n of_o they_o eternal_a death_n the_o principal_a head_n of_o christian_a duty_n be_v these_o to_o love_n god_n and_o the_o lord_n jesus_n christ_n with_o all_o our_o heart_n and_o with_o all_o our_o power_n to_o honour_n praise_n
have_v be_v able_a to_o make_v be_v become_v so_o fix_v a_o opinion_n with_o i_o that_o i_o dare_v venture_v to_o affirm_v not_o only_o that_o there_o never_o be_v any_o imposture_n in_o the_o world_n which_o have_v so_o many_o plain_a mark_n and_o character_n of_o truth_n upon_o it_o as_o the_o christian_a religion_n be_v attend_v with_o but_o that_o there_o never_o be_v any_o true_a history_n of_o thing_n whatsoever_o so_o well_o attest_v that_o it_o be_v impossible_a for_o the_o unite_a wisdom_n of_o man_n to_o contrive_v any_o scheme_n of_o event_n that_o shall_v be_v deliver_v down_o to_o posterity_n with_o so_o many_o certain_a sign_n and_o monument_n of_o its_o truth_n and_o that_o there_o can_v be_v any_o supposition_n invent_v that_o will_v be_v full_a fraught_n with_o absurdity_n than_o that_o of_o the_o christian_a religion_n being_n a_o imposture_n these_o be_v assertion_n i_o have_v endeavour_v to_o make_v good_a in_o the_o follow_a discourse_n and_o i_o hope_v i_o have_v 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to_o those_o dishonourable_a writer_n who_o endeavour_n to_o wound_v religion_n by_o hint_n and_o insinuation_n nothing_o express_v in_o their_o book_n be_v sufficient_a to_o make_v good_a what_o they_o mean_v epicurus_n and_o lucretius_n may_v affirm_v that_o there_o be_v no_o providence_n and_o no_o future_a state_n but_o no_o other_o proposition_n in_o their_o philosophy_n will_v prove_v there_o be_v none_o hobbs_n and_o spinoza_n may_v intend_v to_o undermine_v the_o common_a faith_n of_o christian_n but_o there_o be_v nothing_o direct_o advance_v by_o either_o of_o they_o that_o if_o it_o be_v allow_v to_o be_v true_a can_v infer_v any_o thing_n to_o the_o prejudice_n of_o the_o first_o general_a principle_n and_o proof_n either_o of_o natural_a or_o reveal_v religion_n for_o a_o through_o confirmation_n of_o which_o truth_n i_o have_v in_o treat_v of_o both_o these_o subject_n endeavour_v to_o form_v my_o proof_n upon_o such_o common_a unquestionable_a principle_n as_o every_o body_n of_o what_o sect_n 〈…〉_o philosophy_n must_v needs_o grant_v it_o be_v true_a indeed_o most_v of_o the_o notion_n employ_v in_o the_o cause_n of_o infidelity_n be_v false_a as_o well_o as_o unconcluding_a and_o upon_o both_o these_o account_n deserve_v a_o particular_a answer_n in_o order_n to_o prevent_v the_o mischief_n they_o may_v probable_o do_v among_o the_o unwary_a and_o unstable_a but_o i_o look_v upon_o that_o as_o the_o sure_a and_o most_o effectual_a way_n of_o defend_v religion_n which_o will_v cut_v off_o all_o objection_n at_o once_o and_o put_v the_o cause_n upon_o a_o general_a issue_n this_o be_v the_o way_n i_o have_v take_v in_o both_o discourse_n and_o i_o be_o sure_a the_o method_n can_v fail_v if_o the_o performance_n be_v but_o answerable_a if_o we_o be_v such_o being_n as_o i_o have_v describe_v and_o every_o body_n by_o consult_v himself_n may_v find_v and_o if_o there_o be_v such_o appearance_n in_o the_o world_n as_o every_o man_n that_o will_v look_v 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great_a variety_n and_o disproportion_n of_o faculty_n and_o attainment_n observable_a among_o we_o a_o man_n may_v be_v able_a by_o what_o he_o know_v of_o himself_o so_o far_o to_o determine_v the_o limit_n of_o humane_a force_n and_o skill_n as_o to_o be_v firm_o assure_v such_o and_o such_o thing_n can_v possible_o lie_v within_o the_o reach_n and_o comprehension_n of_o mere_a man_n unassisted_a by_o any_o other_o be_v thus_o for_o example_n to_o use_v the_o former_a instance_n we_o be_v full_o and_o entire_o assure_v that_o no_o man_n whatsoever_o bare_o by_o his_o own_o power_n without_o the_o assistance_n or_o application_n of_o any_o other_o be_v can_v cure_v the_o sick_a or_o raise_v the_o dead_a or_o speak_v a_o language_n he_o know_v nothing_o of_o just_a before_o he_o speak_v it_o or_o foretell_v such_o event_n as_o that_o of_o the_o restoration_n of_o the_o jew_n we_o may_v likewise_o be_v as_o full_o sure_a that_o person_n of_o such_o a_o education_n and_o course_n of_o 〈◊〉_d can_v not_o possible_o of_o themselves_o by_o the_o force_n of_o their_o own_o capacity_n and_o acquisition_n conceive_v speak_v write_v or_o do_v such_o and_o such_o thing_n in_o such_o a_o particular_a way_n and_o manner_n as_o we_o can_v suppose_v or_o may_v actual_o find_v whoever_o therefore_o believe_v the_o miracle_n prophet_n and_n doctrine_n of_o christ_n and_o his_o apostle_n according_a to_o the_o history_n give_v of_o they_o in_o the_o new_a testament_n must_v have_v this_o assurance_n that_o if_o these_o matter_n of_o fact_n be_v so_o as_o they_o be_v there_o deliver_v it_o be_v impossible_a that_o those_o man_n shall_v be_v the_o author_n of_o they_o as_o i_o shall_v show_v more_o particular_o by_o consider_v they_o apart_o to_o begin_v with_o prophecy_n which_o have_v be_v always_o reckon_v the_o most_o unexceptionable_a testimony_n of_o a_o intelligence_n exceed_v humane_a knowledge_n if_o the_o book_n of_o the_o old_a testament_n be_v write_v long_o before_o 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that_o the_o prophecy_n mention_v in_o the_o new_a testament_n be_v not_o conceive_v and_o utter_v by_o mere_a man_n without_o the_o assistance_n of_o some_o other_o be_v of_o great_a knowledge_n and_o wisdom_n and_o the_o same_o likewise_o may_v easy_o be_v make_v out_o of_o the_o miracle_n there_o record_v that_o they_o be_v such_o work_n as_o man_n alone_o by_o his_o own_o power_n can_v not_o perform_v for_o some_o of_o they_o be_v such_o that_o the_o person_n who_o do_v they_o have_v never_o see_v or_o hear_v of_o before_o as_o cast_v out_o of_o devil_n speak_v unknown_a tongue_n etc._n etc._n how_o come_v it_o then_o into_o their_o mind_n to_o think_v of_o they_o and_o when_o they_o do_v think_v of_o they_o how_o have_v they_o the_o confidence_n to_o believe_v they_o can_v do_v they_o and_o venture_v upon_o a_o trial_n most_o of_o those_o they_o have_v hear_v of_o before_o be_v by_o they_o themselves_o believe_v to_o surpass_v humane_a skill_n and_o to_o have_v be_v do_v by_o a_o 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the_o scene_n be_v lay_v within_o the_o immediate_a cognizance_n of_o all_o the_o people_n to_o who_o the_o relation_n be_v direct_v and_o if_o there_o be_v any_o such_o pretender_n it_o be_v impossible_a to_o think_v there_o shall_v be_v any_o people_n so_o stupid_a as_o to_o believe_v they_o themselves_o see_v and_o hear_v such_o thing_n as_o be_v never_o say_v or_o do_v among_o they_o and_o this_o pure_o upon_o the_o information_n of_o other_o without_o which_o they_o have_v remain_v entire_o ignorant_a of_o they_o from_o whence_o it_o necessary_o follow_v that_o the_o christian_a scheme_n can_v not_o be_v publish_v at_o the_o time_n it_o be_v date_v at_o if_o it_o be_v mere_a forgery_n and_o invention_n it_o be_v likewise_o very_o ridiculous_a and_o irrational_a to_o imagine_v that_o a_o long_a series_n of_o public_a notorious_a fact_n say_v to_o be_v do_v in_o the_o presence_n of_o great_a multitude_n of_o all_o sort_n of_o person_n in_o different_a country_n and_o nation_n the_o 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i_o mean_v such_o as_o be_v as_o well_o attest_v to_o have_v be_v do_v as_o those_o record_v in_o the_o scripture_n and_o can_v no_o more_o be_v account_v for_o without_o the_o power_n of_o god_n than_o they_o can_v many_o of_o which_o i_o will_v allow_v to_o have_v be_v do_v upon_o other_o occasion_n without_o any_o application_n of_o they_o to_o the_o advantage_n of_o the_o religion_n of_o those_o that_o perform_v they_o it_o be_v true_a indeed_o many_o sign_n and_o wonder_n may_v have_v be_v wrought_v for_o the_o confirmation_n of_o false_a doctrine_n and_o may_v have_v deceive_v many_o who_o simplicity_n and_o bigotry_n to_o the_o cause_n they_o make_v for_o dispose_v to_o entertain_v they_o but_o we_o have_v no_o record_n of_o any_o such_o ill-intended_n miracle_n leave_v which_o by_o the_o nature_n circumstance_n effect_n or_o attestation_n of_o they_o can_v dispose_v a_o rational_a man_n to_o ascribe_v they_o to_o god_n and_o whatever_o pretence_n of_o this_o kind_n there_o 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etc._n etc._n what_o if_o all_o these_o thing_n be_v so_o as_o spinoza_n observe_v the_o knowledge_n which_o these_o angry_a cheerful_a etc._n etc._n prophet_n of_o lively_a imagination_n have_v of_o future_a thing_n must_v be_v allow_v to_o come_v from_o god_n in_o a_o different_a manner_n from_o that_o whereby_o they_o receive_v all_o their_o other_o knowledge_n as_o spinoza_n himself_o plain_o own_v and_o if_o it_o be_v so_o it_o be_v a_o very_a good_a argument_n that_o the_o doctrine_n preach_v by_o those_o prophet_n be_v deliver_v to_o they_o by_o god_n also_o in_o the_o same_o way_n that_o their_o prophecy_n be_v which_o be_v sufficient_a to_o enforce_v the_o obligation_n of_o they_o upon_o we_o whatever_o natural_a cause_n god_n be_v please_v to_o make_v use_n of_o in_o the_o revelation_n and_o that_o be_v all_o we_o contend_v for_o or_o be_v concern_v to_o maintain_v this_o be_v all_o that_o either_o the_o ancient_n or_o modern_a enemy_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n have_v or_o can_v have_v to_o object_n to_o the_o miracle_n and_o prophecy_n record_v in_o the_o bible_n except_v what_o have_v be_v already_o answer_v in_o the_o direct_a proof_n that_o be_v give_v of_o the_o truth_n of_o they_o the_o other_o part_n of_o scripture_n be_v charge_v with_o almost_o all_o the_o fault_n which_o any_o humane_a write_n be_v capable_a of_o viz._n contradiction_n to_o reason_n and_o philosophy_n contradiction_n of_o one_o part_n to_o another_o mistake_v as_o to_o the_o author_n of_o the_o book_n connexion_n of_o the_o part_n chronology_n geography_n etc._n etc._n ridiculous_a and_o improbable_a story_n absurd_a and_o irrational_a law_n and_o injunction_n trifle_a and_o impertinent_a reason_n and_o argument_n low_o and_o unartful_a language_n the_o injustice_n of_o which_o objection_n i_o shall_v show_v very_o brief_o as_o sie_v very_o open_a and_o obvious_a as_o to_o contradiction_n to_o reason_n and_o philosophy_n pretend_v to_o be_v in_o the_o scripture_n no_o 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