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〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d now_o the_o sojourn_v of_o the_o child_n of_o israel_n who_o dwell_v in_o egypt_n and_o canaan_n they_o and_o their_o father_n be_v 430_o year_n this_o be_v the_o read_n of_o our_o alexandrian_a copy_n and_o the_o complutensian_a and_o that_o of_o aldus_fw-la and_o of_o eusebius_n in_o his_o chronicon_fw-la and_o of_o st._n hierome_n in_o his_o translation_n of_o it_o and_o of_o the_o church_n in_o st._n augustins_n time_n and_o afterward_o and_o lest_o any_o shall_v reject_v this_o as_o a_o late_a interpolation_n or_o gloss_n receive_v into_o the_o text_n beside_o these_o testimony_n of_o the_o antiquity_n of_o it_o we_o find_v the_o very_a same_o in_o the_o samaritan_n copy_n which_o the_o enemy_n of_o it_o do_v allow_v to_o be_v as_o ancient_a as_o our_o saviour_n time_n and_o that_o which_o very_o much_o confirm_v the_o truth_n of_o this_o read_n be_v that_o the_o jew_n themselves_o follow_v the_o sense_n of_o it_o who_o be_v the_o most_o eager_a contender_n for_o the_o 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these_o in_o a_o more_o plentiful_a manner_n than_o be_v to_o be_v find_v in_o any_o other_o profession_n of_o religion_n public_o know_v the_o question_n then_o remain_v be_v 1_o whether_o the_o matter_n of_o fact_n be_v true_a which_o be_v report_v in_o the_o write_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n 2_o suppose_v they_o true_a whether_o they_o do_v sufficient_o prove_v the_o doctrine_n to_o have_v be_v from_o god_n 1._o whether_o the_o matter_n of_o fact_n be_v true_a or_o no_o and_o as_o to_o this_o point_n i_o wish_v you_o have_v set_v down_o the_o reason_n of_o your_o doubt_n more_o clear_o and_o distinct_o than_o you_o have_v do_v what_o i_o can_v pick_v up_o amount_v to_o these_o thing_n 1._o that_o there_o can_v be_v no_o certainty_n of_o a_o matter_n do_v at_o such_o a_o distance_n of_o time_n there_o have_v be_v many_o fictitious_a history_n in_o the_o world_n 2._o that_o it_o be_v probable_a that_o these_o thing_n may_v be_v write_v when_o there_o be_v no_o one_o live_v to_o 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over_o the_o conscience_n of_o man_n and_o that_o they_o have_v time_n enough_o to_o make_v a_o considerable_a interest_n before_o the_o persecution_n begin_v this_o be_v the_o force_n of_o all_o i_o can_v find_v out_o in_o the_o several_a part_n of_o your_o paper_n towards_o the_o invalidating_a the_o testimony_n concern_v the_o matter_n of_o fact_n report_v in_o the_o write_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n in_o answer_n to_o all_o these_o thing_n i_o shall_v show_v 1._o that_o matter_n of_o fact_n do_v at_o such_o a_o distance_n of_o time_n may_v have_v sufficient_a evidence_n to_o oblige_v man_n to_o believe_v they_o 2._o that_o there_o be_v no_o reason_n to_o suspect_v the_o truth_n of_o those_o matter_n of_o fact_n which_o be_v contain_v in_o the_o history_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n 3._o that_o the_o apostle_n
as_o the_o jew_n understand_v it_o unless_o she_o be_v redeem_v or_o set_v free_a or_o the_o jubilee_n come_v or_o the_o master_n die_v or_o the_o time_n of_o her_o minority_n expire_v 2._o the_o case_n of_o necessity_n be_v suppose_v it_o have_v be_v think_v lawful_a for_o parent_n to_o make_v advantage_n by_o their_o child_n not_o only_o by_o the_o jew_n but_o by_o other_o nation_n who_o have_v be_v in_o the_o great_a esteem_n for_o wisdom_n for_o by_o the_o law_n of_o the_o 12_o table_n among_o the_o roman_n the_o father_n have_v the_o liberty_n of_o sell_v his_o son_n three_o time_n for_o his_o own_o advantage_n as_o dionys._n halicarnasseus_n relate_v and_o before_o that_o time_n it_o be_v not_o only_o in_o use_n among_o the_o roman_n but_o in_o such_o esteem_n among_o they_o that_o upon_o the_o review_n of_o their_o law_n the_o decemviri_fw-la dare_v not_o leave_v it_o out_o but_o by_o one_o of_o the_o law_n of_o numa_n pompilius_n it_o be_v restrain_v to_o the_o time_n before_o marriage_n for_o in_o case_n the_o son_n have_v the_o father_n consent_n to_o marry_v he_o can_v not_o sell_v he_o afterward_o as_o the_o same_o author_n tell_v we_o this_o law_n continue_v in_o force_n among_o they_o till_o christianity_n prevail_v in_o the_o roman_a empire_n for_o although_o there_o be_v a_o prohibition_n of_o diocletian_a against_o it_o yet_o that_o signify_v nothing_o till_o constantine_n take_v care_n that_o such_o indigent_a parent_n shall_v be_v relieve_v out_o of_o the_o public_a charge_n cod._n theodos._n l._n 11._o tit_n 27._o 2._o and_o yet_o after_o this_o the_o custom_n do_v continue_v when_o the_o parent_n be_v in_o great_a want_n as_o appear_v by_o a_o law_n of_o theodosius_n cod._n 3._o tit_n 3._o omnes_fw-la quos_fw-la parentum_fw-la miseranda_fw-la fortuna_fw-la in_o servitium_fw-la dum_fw-la victum_fw-la requirunt_fw-la addixit_fw-la ingenuitati_fw-la pristinae_fw-la reformentur_fw-la and_o it_o further_o appear_v that_o even_o in_o constantin_n time_n notwithstanding_o the_o law_n make_v by_o he_o parent_n will_v still_o when_o they_o think_v themselves_o overcharge_v with_o child_n part_n with_o their_o interest_n in_o they_o to_o other_o for_o advantage_n but_o it_o be_v chief_o while_o they_o be_v sanguinolenti_fw-la as_o the_o law_n express_v it_o i._n e._n new_a born_n cod._n theod._n l._n 5._o tit_n 8._o by_o the_o law_n of_o athens_n before_o solon_n time_n parent_n may_v sell_v their_o child_n as_o appear_v by_o plutarch_n in_o his_o life_n and_o the_o same_o philostratus_n report_v of_o the_o phrygian_n l._n 3._o vit_fw-fr apollon_n tyan_n and_o the_o like_a custom_n do_v obtain_v among_o the_o chinese_n to_o this_o day_n if_o person_n do_v think_v themselves_o unable_a to_o bring_v up_o their_o child_n themselves_o and_o there_o be_v two_o thing_n to_o be_v say_v for_o it_o 1._o the_o natural_a obligation_n lie_v on_o child_n to_o provide_v for_o their_o parent_n in_o necessity_n by_o any_o way_n they_o be_v able_a 2._o the_o probability_n of_o better_a education_n under_o more_o able_a person_n and_o therefore_o the_o theban_n have_v a_o law_n that_o parent_n in_o case_n of_o poverty_n be_v to_o bring_v their_o child_n to_o the_o magistrate_n as_o soon_o as_o they_o be_v bear_v who_o put_v they_o out_o to_o such_o as_o be_v judge_v 7._o fit_a to_o bring_v they_o up_o and_o to_o have_v their_o service_n for_o their_o reward_n but_o however_o you_o say_v this_o place_n imply_v a_o toleration_n of_o have_v many_o wife_n because_o it_o be_v say_v if_o he_o take_v he_o another_o wife_n v_o 10._o i_o do_v not_o deny_v that_o the_o moysaicall_a law_n do_v suppose_v the_o practice_n of_o polygamy_n but_o as_o it_o do_v no_o where_o express_o allow_v it_o neither_o do_v it_o express_o condemn_v it_o and_o although_o we_o say_v the_o christian_a law_n be_v far_o more_o excellent_a which_o reduce_v marriage_n to_o its_o first_o institution_n yet_o you_o will_v find_v it_o a_o hard_a matter_n to_o prove_v such_o a_o permission_n of_o polygamy_n as_o this_o be_v to_o be_v so_o repugnant_a to_o the_o law_n and_o principle_n of_o nature_n as_o from_o thence_o to_o infer_v that_o this_o law_n of_o moses_n can_v not_o be_v from_o god_n you_o may_v have_v say_v the_o same_o about_o the_o matter_n of_o divorce_n which_o be_v permit_v they_o christ_n say_v for_o the_o hardness_n of_o their_o heart_n which_o show_v that_o god_n do_v not_o always_o require_v that_o from_o man_n which_o be_v best_a please_v to_o himself_o and_o that_o as_o to_o his_o political_a government_n he_o may_v not_o always_o punish_v that_o which_o be_v not_o so_o please_v to_o he_o the_o next_o law_n you_o quarrel_n at_o be_v that_o deut._n 22._o 13_o etc._n etc._n about_o the_o trial_n of_o virginity_n which_o you_o object_n against_o as_o immodest_a and_o uncertain_a and_o therefore_o unbecoming_a the_o wisdom_n of_o god_n so_o many_o custom_n of_o those_o elder_a time_n of_o the_o world_n and_o of_o the_o eastern_a part_n to_o this_o day_n seem_v very_o strange_a to_o we_o that_o be_v not_o so_o well_o acquaint_v with_o the_o reason_n of_o they_o methinks_v it_o better_o become_v our_o modesty_n in_o such_o case_n to_o question_v our_o understanding_n those_o custom_n than_o present_o to_o cast_v so_o much_o disparagement_n on_o the_o author_n of_o they_o if_o you_o have_v be_v offend_v at_o the_o literal_a sense_n of_o those_o word_n many_o of_o the_o jew_n themselves_o say_v they_o be_v to_o be_v understand_v figurative_o of_o the_o evidence_n that_o be_v to_o be_v bring_v and_o lay_v open_a before_o the_o judge_n on_o behalf_n of_o the_o defame_a person_n and_o both_o josephus_n and_o philo_n omit_v the_o lay_v open_o the_o cloth_n but_o suppose_v it_o to_o be_v take_v in_o the_o plain_a literal_a sense_n i_o have_v two_o thing_n to_o say_v in_o vindication_n of_o this_o law_n 1._o that_o however_o uncertain_a some_o physician_n have_v think_v that_o way_n of_o trial_n to_o have_v be_v in_o these_o part_n of_o the_o world_n yet_o it_o be_v general_o agree_v to_o have_v hold_v for_o the_o eastern_a part_n by_o the_o most_o skilful_a physician_n among_o the_o arabian_n and_o a_o custom_n of_o the_o same_o nature_n be_v say_v by_o good_a author_n to_o have_v be_v observe_v among_o the_o egyptian_n and_o other_o african_n as_o well_o as_o the_o arabian_n so_o that_o this_o can_v not_o be_v think_v so_o strange_a or_o immodest_a among_o the_o inhabitant_n of_o those_o part_n and_o it_o be_v very_o probable_a that_o some_o particular_n as_o to_o the_o practice_n of_o these_o law_n be_v not_o set_v down_o which_o may_v very_o much_o tend_v to_o the_o certainty_n of_o they_o as_o the_o age_n of_o the_o marry_a person_n which_o be_v most_o likely_a then_o as_o it_o be_v to_o this_o day_n in_o the_o eastern_a part_n very_o early_o the_o jew_n say_v at_o 12_o year_n old_a which_o will_v make_v the_o trial_n more_o certain_a 2._o as_o to_o the_o modesty_n of_o it_o you_o be_v to_o consider_v that_o the_o law_n be_v intend_v to_o keep_v person_n from_o unjust_a defamation_n and_o such_o a_o way_n of_o trial_n be_v therefore_o pitch_v upon_o to_o deter_v person_n from_o such_o defamation_n which_o man_n may_v otherwise_o have_v be_v more_o ready_a to_o because_o of_o the_o liberty_n of_o divorce_n and_o the_o advantage_n they_o have_v in_o save_v the_o dower_n if_o they_o can_v prove_v the_o party_n vitiate_v before_o marriage_n therefore_o all_o the_o proof_n of_o that_o nature_n be_v to_o be_v pass_v soon_o after_o the_o consummation_n of_o marriage_n which_o be_v agree_v then_o by_o all_o the_o friend_n there_o be_v to_o be_v no_o liberty_n leave_v for_o defamation_n afterward_o but_o in_o case_n any_o man_n shall_v be_v guilty_a of_o it_o the_o produce_v those_o evidence_n which_o before_o they_o be_v agree_v upon_o shall_v be_v sufficient_a to_o clear_v the_o innocency_n of_o the_o party_n accuse_v and_o therefore_o i_o look_v on_o this_o law_n as_o the_o jew_n do_v on_o that_o of_o the_o rebellious_a son_n of_o which_o they_o say_v that_o there_o be_v no_o instance_n of_o the_o practice_n of_o it_o the_o penalty_n threaten_v be_v so_o effectual_a to_o prevent_v the_o occasion_n of_o it_o and_o such_o in_o a_o great_a measure_n i_o suppose_v the_o other_o law_n mention_v by_o you_o to_o have_v be_v viz._n of_o the_o water_n of_o jealousy_n which_o you_o make_v so_o strange_a a_o matter_n of_o and_o think_v it_o savour_v too_o much_o of_o a_o design_n to_o gratify_v the_o jealous_a humour_n of_o the_o jewish_a nation_n but_o you_o may_v have_v put_v a_o fair_a construction_n upon_o it_o viz._n that_o it_o be_v intend_v to_o prevent_v any_o occasion_n of_o suspicion_n be_v give_v to_o the_o husband_n by_o too_o much_o familiarity_n with_o other_o person_n since_o