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will_v be_v a_o material_a objection_n but_o if_o there_o be_v not_o the_o least_o shadow_n of_o reason_n to_o countenance_v such_o a_o groundless_a supposition_n without_o show_v that_o the_o apostle_n do_v exceed_v their_o commission_n though_o at_o the_o same_o time_n they_o be_v divine_o inspire_v than_o we_o be_v bind_v to_o acknowledge_v that_o the_o epistle_n as_o well_o as_o the_o act_n be_v a_o indispensible_a part_n of_o the_o rule_n of_o our_o faith_n for_o god_n himself_o have_v put_v no_o difference_n betwixt_o they_o but_o there_o be_v yet_o something_o more_o to_o be_v observe_v in_o the_o epistle_n write_v by_o st._n paul_n which_o be_v much_o the_o great_a part_n and_o that_o be_v that_o he_o receive_v his_o doctrine_n therein_o contain_v by_o a_o more_o particular_a
explanation_n of_o something_o before_o reveal_v in_o the_o gospel_n yet_o since_o the_o author_n of_o they_o be_v divine_o inspire_v they_o be_v to_o be_v receive_v as_o part_v of_o the_o rule_n of_o faith_n as_o well_o as_o the_o gospel_n themselves_o since_o a_o infallible_a divine_a explanation_n of_o a_o doctrine_n be_v as_o necessary_a to_o be_v believe_v as_o the_o doctrine_n itself_o so_o that_o if_o it_o shall_v be_v grant_v that_o this_o be_v one_o end_n of_o write_v the_o epistle_n to_o set_v those_o thing_n in_o a_o clear_a light_n which_o be_v before_o teach_v by_o our_o saviour_n yet_o this_o will_v not_o be_v sufficient_a to_o invalidate_v their_o authority_n or_o render_v they_o less_o necessary_a to_o be_v believe_v for_o thus_o far_o ibid._n far_o verum_fw-la tanta_fw-la est_fw-la erga_fw-la genus_fw-la hominum_fw-la benignitas_fw-la divina_fw-la ut_fw-la quae_fw-la in_o evangeliis_fw-la plene_fw-la ac_fw-la perfect_v tradita_fw-la sunt_fw-la etiam_fw-la in_o apostolorum_fw-la epistolis_fw-la saepius_fw-la repeti_fw-la &_o à _fw-la variis_fw-la objectionibus_fw-la vindicari_fw-la ad_fw-la majorem_fw-la fidelium_fw-la in_o fide_fw-la confirmationem_fw-la ac_fw-la constantiam_fw-la singulari_fw-la providentia_fw-la voluerit_fw-la ibid._n limborch_n seem_v to_o have_v grant_v that_o though_o all_o the_o doctrine_n of_o christianity_n be_v full_o and_o perfect_o deliver_v in_o the_o gospel_n yet_o god_n have_v so_o much_o express_v his_o goodness_n towards_o mankind_n as_o to_o take_v care_n by_o a_o particular_a providence_n that_o they_o shall_v be_v very_o often_o repeat_v in_o the_o epistle_n that_o they_o may_v be_v free_v from_o all_o objection_n to_o the_o great_a strengthen_n and_o confirm_v believer_n in_o the_o faith_n and_o thus_o it_o seem_v very_o evident_a for_o many_o reason_n that_o the_o gospel_n alone_o be_v not_o to_o be_v make_v the_o measure_n of_o our_o faith_n nor_o will_v the_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n together_o with_o the_o gospel_n afford_v we_o a_o full_a and_o clear_a scheme_n of_o whatsoever_o be_v necessary_a to_o be_v believe_v for_o these_o also_o be_v chief_o historical_a and_o contain_v a_o account_n of_o the_o mission_n of_o the_o holy_a ghost_n of_o the_o miracle_n that_o be_v do_v by_o the_o apostle_n of_o the_o convert_v they_o make_v to_o christianity_n and_o where_o they_o preach_v but_o we_o have_v not_o there_o any_o full_a and_o large_a account_n of_o their_o doctrine_n we_o be_v indeed_o tell_v that_o they_o preach_v faith_n in_o christ_n jesus_n 20.21_o act._n 20.21_o and_o repentance_n towards_o god_n but_o few_o or_o no_o particular_n of_o those_o duty_n or_o how_o far_o they_o extend_v which_o seem_v on_o purpose_n reserve_v for_o the_o epistle_n where_o they_o be_v more_o full_o treat_v of_o but_o it_o be_v urge_v that_o if_o the_o apostle_n creed_n be_v a_o summary_n of_o all_o that_o be_v necessary_a to_o be_v believe_v and_o if_o all_o the_o article_n of_o that_o be_v to_o be_v find_v in_o the_o gospel_n and_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n than_o it_o be_v in_o they_o alone_o that_o we_o be_v to_o look_v for_o fundamental_o to_o this_o it_o may_v be_v answer_v that_o it_o can_v indeed_o hardly_o be_v deny_v but_o that_o we_o may_v draw_v most_o of_o the_o article_n of_o the_o apostle_n creed_n from_o the_o gospel_n and_o the_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n but_o these_o be_v not_o to_o be_v look_v upon_o as_o the_o only_a fundamental_o unless_o we_o also_o firm_o believe_v the_o natural_a consequence_n and_o conclusion_n from_o they_o and_o the_o frequent_a explanation_n of_o they_o which_o be_v set_v down_o in_o the_o other_o part_n of_o revelation_n to_o instance_n only_o in_o the_o first_o article_n i_o believe_v in_o god_n the_o father_n almighty_n maker_n of_o heaven_n and_o earth_n now_o we_o can_v be_v suppose_v to_o be_v confine_v by_o this_o to_o the_o believe_v just_a so_o much_o of_o he_o and_o no_o more_o for_o we_o be_v to_o understand_v by_o these_o word_n whatsoever_o be_v imply_v in_o they_o and_o whatsoever_o else_o the_o scripture_n have_v reveal_v to_o we_o concern_v he_o and_o the_o like_a rule_n must_v be_v observe_v in_o all_o the_o other_o article_n and_o beside_o this_o be_v just_o believe_v to_o be_v the_o first_o fundamental_a of_o all_o reveal_v religion_n which_o be_v suppose_v in_o our_o creed_n that_o the_o scripture_n be_v of_o divine_a inspiration_n and_o that_o whatsoever_o be_v there_o lay_v down_o as_o necessary_a to_o salvation_n must_v be_v believe_v as_o such_o and_o upon_o this_o it_o be_v that_o the_o creed_n be_v build_v so_o that_o as_o we_o must_v believe_v that_o summary_n of_o our_o faith_n to_o be_v take_v from_o revelation_n so_o also_o that_o the_o only_a true_a explanation_n of_o it_o be_v to_o be_v find_v there_o for_o necessary_a deduction_n from_o such_o truth_n be_v as_o much_o fundamental_o as_o the_o principle_n from_o which_o they_o be_v draw_v so_o that_o we_o can_v in_o a_o true_a since_o believe_v all_o the_o article_n of_o our_o creed_n unless_o we_o also_o be_v persuade_v that_o those_o place_n of_o scripture_n which_o contain_v a_o full_a and_o express_a explanation_n of_o they_o be_v necessary_a part_n of_o our_o faith_n but_o our_o author_n urge_v that_o if_o all_o 297._o p._n 297._o or_o most_o of_o the_o truth_n declare_v in_o the_o epistle_n be_v to_o be_v receive_v and_o believe_v as_o fundamental_a article_n what_o then_o become_v of_o those_o christian_n that_o be_v fall_v asleep_a as_o st._n paul_n witness_v in_o the_o 1_o cor._n many_o be_v before_o those_o thing_n in_o the_o epistle_n be_v reveal_v to_o they_o most_o of_o the_o epistle_n not_o be_v write_v till_o above_o twenty_o year_n after_o our_o saviour_n ascension_n and_o some_o after_o thirty_o to_o this_o we_o may_v answer_v first_o that_o some_o of_o the_o epistle_n be_v write_v before_o some_o of_o the_o gospel_n particular_o that_o of_o st._n john_n which_o be_v not_o write_v till_o almost_o threescore_o year_n after_o our_o saviour_n ascension_n so_o that_o this_o argument_n will_v exclude_v that_o gospel_n from_o contain_v any_o part_n of_o the_o fundamental_o of_o faith_n as_o well_o as_o the_o epistle_n second_o it_o be_v to_o be_v consider_v that_o a_o great_a many_o of_o the_o epistle_n as_o the_o first_o and_o second_o to_o the_o thessalonian_o which_o be_v write_v soon_o than_o twenty_o year_n after_o christ_n ascension_n as_o also_o the_o first_o and_o second_o to_o the_o corinthian_n to_o the_o galatian_n and_o roman_n be_v all_o write_v before_o the_o history_n of_o the_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n which_o be_v continue_v to_o the_o time_n of_o st._n paul_n be_v first_o at_o rome_n which_o be_v not_o till_o near_o thirty_o year_n after_o our_o saviour_n ascension_n and_o therefore_o that_o history_n which_o take_v in_o all_o that_o time_n can_v be_v think_v to_o be_v of_o great_a authority_n than_o those_o epistle_n which_o be_v write_v much_o soon_o so_o that_o this_o argument_n if_o it_o be_v at_o all_o to_o the_o purpose_n must_v give_v the_o preference_n to_o some_o of_o the_o epistle_n at_o least_o before_o the_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n but_o three_o it_o can_v be_v suppose_v but_o that_o many_o christian_n be_v fall_v asleep_o before_o the_o writing_n any_o of_o the_o gospel_n since_o st._n matthew_n gospel_n which_o be_v the_o first_o be_v not_o write_v till_o about_o eleven_o year_n after_o our_o saviour_n ascension_n so_o that_o neither_o can_v this_o argument_n be_v any_o prejudice_n to_o the_o authority_n of_o the_o epistle_n and_o therefore_o four_o it_o remain_v that_o all_o the_o rule_n of_o faith_n to_o the_o believe_a christian_n that_o be_v convert_v for_o some_o year_n after_o our_o saviour_n ascension_n must_v be_v take_v from_o what_o be_v teach_v by_o the_o apostle_n and_o therefore_o if_o what_o they_o then_o teach_v be_v the_o rule_n of_o faith_n to_o those_o who_o be_v convert_v to_o christianity_n it_o be_v very_o reasonable_a to_o suppose_v that_o the_o epistle_n which_o without_o doubt_n contain_v the_o very_a same_o doctrine_n which_o they_o then_o teach_v be_v now_o to_o be_v receive_v as_o absolute_o necessary_a to_o be_v believe_v for_o this_o we_o may_v be_v certain_a of_o that_o the_o contrary_n can_v never_o be_v prove_v that_o the_o apostle_n upon_o their_o receive_v the_o holy_a ghost_n teach_v the_o very_a same_o doctrine_n wherever_o they_o preach_v which_o they_o afterward_o deliver_v in_o their_o epistle_n and_o therefore_o if_o they_o write_v no_o other_o doctrine_n than_o what_o they_o teach_v and_o what_o they_o teach_v be_v fundamental_o than_o what_o they_o write_v must_v be_v the_o same_o too_o and_o if_o this_o shall_v be_v grant_v which_o the_o author_n of_o the_o reasonableness_n of_o christianity_n so_o much_o contend_v for_o 294._o p._n 294._o that_o the_o epistle_n be_v all_o write_v to_o those_o