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the_o truth_n of_o matter_n of_o fact_n and_o be_v certain_a of_o what_o impression_n external_n object_n do_v make_v upon_o our_o organ_n though_o it_o do_v discover_v to_o we_o the_o true_a nature_n of_o thing_n and_o the_o three_o be_v revelation_n to_o which_o we_o assent_v because_o we_o be_v assure_v it_o come_v from_o god_n the_o fountain_n of_o truth_n now_o though_o reason_n and_o sense_n be_v the_o only_a medium_n of_o certainty_n in_o the_o work_n of_o nature_n with_o which_o the_o scripture_n do_v not_o direct_o meddle_v yet_o reason_n be_v defective_a in_o show_v we_o the_o way_n to_o supernatural_a happiness_n in_o two_o respect_n first_o because_o many_o thing_n belong_v thereunto_o be_v not_o deducible_a from_o reason_n alone_o and_o second_o because_o many_o thing_n that_o be_v deducible_a from_o thence_o in_o their_o own_o nature_n yet_o be_v not_o actual_o deduce_v by_o the_o generality_n of_o mankind_n s._n pray_v sir_n a_o little_a explanation_n you_o seem_v now_o 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may_v if_o it_o have_v please_v he_o but_o then_o i_o do_v believe_v very_o few_o will_v have_v give_v they_o credit_n l._n will_v you_o have_v miracle_n wrought_v every_o day_n s._n i_o shall_v be_v glad_a to_o see_v a_o miracle_n or_o two_o for_o my_o own_o satisfaction_n but_o i_o must_v confess_v if_o they_o be_v very_o frequent_a they_o will_v not_o in_o a_o short_a time_n be_v distinguishable_a from_o the_o work_n of_o nature_n l._n then_o i_o perceive_v you_o sceptist_n desire_v something_o but_o you_o know_v not_o what_o for_o give_v your_o thought_n the_o utmost_a liberty_n of_o range_v yet_o you_o will_v never_o find_v a_o more_o commodious_a way_n of_o god_n speak_v to_o mankind_n than_o that_o which_o be_v record_v in_o the_o scripture_n because_o it_o be_v fuit_v to_o all_o the_o faculty_n of_o the_o soul_n and_o be_v apt_a consequent_o to_o force_v the_o assent_n of_o all_o mankind_n and_o if_o we_o consider_v the_o subject_a matter_n of_o it_o we_o shall_v find_v that_o 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man_n must_v needs_o be_v that_o hold_v the_o infinity_n and_o immutability_n of_o the_o power_n of_o nature_n as_o also_o by_o his_o partial_a distorture_n of_o scripture_n by_o deny_v it_o the_o same_o liberty_n of_o use_v word_n in_o a_o translate_v sense_n which_o be_v give_v to_o all_o other_o write_n as_o for_o clearness_n of_o judgement_n which_o be_v the_o second_o commendation_n of_o a_o historian_n i_o can_v see_v how_o your_o author_n can_v pretend_v to_o that_o who_o i_o have_v show_v to_o have_v lay_v down_o so_o many_o false_a proposition_n draw_v so_o many_o false_a conclusion_n and_o so_o frequent_o to_o have_v contradict_v himself_o and_o as_o for_o his_o opportunity_n of_o know_v the_o matter_n of_o fact_n of_o the_o most_o grand_a importance_n of_o those_o age_n we_o all_o know_v that_o he_o be_v as_o ignorant_a of_o they_o as_o ourselves_o and_o therefore_o we_o have_v rather_o believe_v those_o who_o live_v in_o ancient_a time_n and_o be_v eye-witness_n of_o what_o our_o saviour_n do_v or_o suffer_v for_o our_o sake_n than_o a_o modern_a upstart_n who_o we_o be_v sure_o can_v understand_v at_o most_o no_o more_o than_o ourselves_o of_o the_o matter_n s._n but_o though_o you_o slight_a his_o authority_n yet_o if_o he_o can_v prove_v by_o solid_a reason_n as_o he_o attempt_v in_o his_o 8_o chapter_n that_o the_o pentateuch_n be_v not_o write_v by_o moses_n etc._n etc._n you_o be_v bind_v to_o yield_v to_o they_o and_o to_o deny_v its_o divine_a authority_n l._n but_o if_o his_o reason_n be_v fallacious_a and_o conjectural_a as_o i_o can_v easy_o demonstrate_v have_v we_o book_n and_o leisure_n in_o this_o place_n to_o go_v through_o the_o argument_n which_o yet_o at_o best_a will_v be_v but_o loss_n of_o time_n than_o you_o can_v blame_v i_o if_o i_o withdraw_v my_o assent_n from_o his_o pernicious_a doctrine_n but_o to_o bring_v matter_n to_o a_o short_a issue_n do_v you_o believe_v that_o the_o account_v the_o evangelist_n give_v of_o the_o 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for_o the_o hardness_n of_o their_o heart_n suffer_v they_o to_o put_v away_o their_o wife_n or_o st._n john_n 19_o 17._o that_o the_o law_n be_v give_v by_o moses_n if_o the_o whole_a pentateuch_n have_v be_v a_o fiction_n of_o esdras_n our_o saviour_n therefore_o have_v confirm_v the_o law_n of_o moses_n and_o the_o divine_a authority_n of_o the_o old_a testament_n by_o a_o new_a addition_n of_o sign_n and_o wonder_n impossible_a to_o be_v gainsay_v by_o the_o cunning_a or_o malice_n of_o man._n s._n you_o have_v now_o give_v i_o full_a satisfaction_n concern_v the_o divine_a authority_n of_o the_o scripture_n into_o a_o dislike_n of_o which_o i_o be_v lead_v by_o the_o sophistry_n of_o this_o intriegue_a author_n for_o it_o mighty_o please_v i_o to_o hear_v his_o project_n to_o deduce_v all_o knowledge_n from_o natural_a reason_n which_o as_o he_o teach_v p._n 98._o proceed_v from_o plain_a and_o obvious_a notion_n to_o the_o most_o obscure_a and_o remote_a object_n l._n let_v natural_a reason_n proceed_v never_o so_o cautious_o yet_o she_o can_v never_o ascend_v so_o high_a as_o to_o understand_v clear_o those_o supernatural_a thing_n which_o concern_v a_o future_a state_n of_o which_o she_o have_v here_o no_o complete_a idea_n and_o beside_o if_o god_n be_v a_o free_a agent_n it_o follow_v he_o can_v prescribe_v what_o condition_n of_o salvation_n do_v best_a please_v he_o and_o natural_a reason_n can_v never_o ascend_v to_o the_o knowledge_n of_o what_o a_o free_a agent_n will_v have_v do_v from_o any_o know_v or_o obvious_a maxim_n in_o nature_n s._n no_o more_o than_o one_o man_n by_o reason_n alone_o can_v tell_v what_o be_v the_o will_n and_o pleasure_n of_o another_o but_o i_o will_v ask_v you_o one_o question_n more_o viz._n who_o ought_v to_o be_v the_o interpreter_n of_o scripture_n etc._n scripture_n p._n 103._o penes_fw-la unumquemque_fw-la snmmum_fw-la jus_o summaque_fw-la authoritas_fw-la de_fw-la religione_fw-la libere_fw-la judicandi_fw-la etc._n etc._n for_o spinosa_n give_v away_o that_o authority_n to_o every_o private_a man._n l._n the_o ambiguous_a use_n of_o the_o word_n interpretation_n have_v be_v the_o cause_n of_o much_o error_n and_o much_o mischief_n in_o the_o world_n it_o be_v a_o multiply_a idea_n which_o will_v breed_v confusion_n in_o the_o understanding_n if_o it_o be_v not_o careful_o resolve_v into_o its_o first_o principle_n for_o first_o sometime_o to_o interpret_v scripture_n be_v put_v to_o signify_v only_o a_o right_a apprehension_n of_o what_o be_v the_o true_a sense_n of_o scripture_n and_o a_o expression_n of_o that_o true_a sense_n in_o plain_a and_o proper_a term_n and_o this_o belong_v to_o every_o individual_a man_n to_o who_o the_o gospel_n be_v preach_v for_o every_o man_n have_v a_o right_a to_o understand_v those_o truth_n that_o be_v alike_o beneficial_a to_o all_o mankind_n and_o which_o be_v therefore_o promulge_v that_o they_o may_v be_v make_v know_v unto_o all_o and_o as_o 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