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philosophy_n which_o be_v no_o hard_a matter_n to_o do_v plato_n have_v be_v be_v as_o numenius_n say_v of_o he_o moses_n speak_v greek_a that_o be_v to_o say_v one_o who_o have_v light_v upon_o the_o hebrew_n learning_n have_v suck_v much_o out_o of_o it_o now_o this_o ammonius_n find_v in_o plato_n the_o idea_n of_o be_v and_o of_o unity_n and_o of_o life_n and_o such_o other_o airy_a notion_n easy_a to_o be_v wrought_v upon_o to_o what_o he_o design_v endeavour_v by_o these_o to_o instill_v into_o his_o scholar_n the_o mystery_n of_o the_o trinity_n which_o he_o do_v with_o such_o happy_a success_n that_o of_o the_o three_o prime_a wit_n of_o his_o school_n the_o one_o origen_n become_v so_o great_a and_o eminent_a a_o doctor_n of_o the_o church_n as_o antiquity_n have_v acknowledge_v he_o the_o other_o two_o amelius_n and_o plotinus_n prove_v two_o conductor_n of_o the_o
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which_o may_v be_v bring_v for_o his_o party_n be_v not_o receivable_a and_o so_o that_o his_o error_n may_v be_v condemn_v out_o of_o the_o force_n of_o scripture_n alone_o then_o catholic_a writer_n will_v not_o need_v to_o engage_v their_o pen_n against_o he_o but_o if_o i_o be_o not_o much_o mistake_v whosoever_o shall_v go_v about_o it_o will_v find_v it_o a_o hard_a task_n the_o question_n be_v of_o such_o a_o nature_n as_o require_v a_o seem_a contradiction_n in_o word_n to_o express_v it_o and_o so_o the_o knot_n of_o it_o lie_v in_o determine_v which_o part_n of_o the_o seem_a contradictory_a passage_n aught_o to_o be_v explicate_v by_o the_o other_o now_o how_o such_o a_o controversy_n can_v be_v decide_v by_o bare_a word_n i_o can_v not_o comprehend_v if_o then_o those_o adversary_n do_v prove_v to_o weak_a too_o maintain_v this_o cause_n and_o the_o inefficaciousness_n of_o single_a scripture_n in_o this_o so_o main_a a_o point_n do_v become_v evident_a it_o may_v be_v necessary_a to_o use_v catholic_a argument_n for_o the_o defence_n of_o christian_a truth_n unto_o which_o the_o follow_a consideration_n may_v prepare_v thou_o the_o first_o reflection_n what_o religion_n be_v to_o understand_v a_o right_a the_o nature_n of_o disputation_n about_o religion_n we_o must_v first_o know_v what_o religion_n itself_o be_v we_o do_v not_o here_o take_v it_o in_o the_o sense_n of_o schoole-divine_n for_o a_o special_a virtue_n by_o which_o we_o perform_v the_o honour_n due_a to_o almighty_a god_n to_o his_o friend_n the_o saint_n and_o to_o what_o ever_o holy_a thing_n do_v belong_v to_o he_o and_o he_o but_o religion_n in_o our_o present_a treaty_n signify_v a_o skill_n or_o art_n of_o doctrine_n come_v to_o eternal_a bliss_n to_o understand_v this_o the_o better_a we_o be_v to_o remember_v that_o it_o have_v ever_o be_v receive_v as_o a_o undoubted_a truth_n among_o the_o true-beleever_n both_o in_o the_o law_n of_o nature_n and_o in_o that_o of_o moses_n as_o also_o more_o evident_o among_o christian_n that_o man_n have_v two_o life_n the_o one_o in_o this_o state_n of_o mortality_n and_o corruption_n while_o we_o live_v under_o the_o law_n of_o change_n and_o of_o necessity_n in_o this_o world_n the_o other_o which_o we_o expect_v after_o the_o end_n of_o this_o to_o dure_v for_o ever_o in_o great_a bliss_n and_o happiness_n if_o we_o behave_v ourselves_o here_o as_o we_o ought_v to_o do_v or_o in_o great_a misery_n and_o torment_n if_o we_o neglect_v our_o duty_n in_o this_o world_n now_o the_o life_n of_o the_o next_o world_n be_v to_o last_v for_o ever_o and_o the_o consequence_n of_o it_o for_o good_a and_o bad_a be_v so_o high_o exalt_v above_o the_o contentment_n and_o affliction_n of_o our_o present_a life_n it_o follow_v that_o the_o art_n or_o skill_n of_o steer_v a_o right_a course_n towards_o it_o be_v incomparable_o more_o necessary_a and_o more_o esteemable_a than_o any_o art_n or_o learning_n whatsoever_o belong_v to_o the_o affair_n of_o this_o world_n beyond_o the_o skill_n of_o trade_v and_o of_o gain_v wealth_n in_o which_o the_o eastern_a and_o arabian_a wizard_n place_n their_o wisdom_n beyond_o the_o out_o wit_v and_o the_o over_o pour_a glory_n of_o the_o potentate_n and_o state_n master_n of_o the_o earth_n who_o felicity_n be_v to_o ensnare_v the_o world_n into_o the_o necessy_o of_o a_o wilful_a bondage_n to_o their_o unlimited_a ambition_n beyond_o the_o self-pleasing_a contentment_n of_o those_o who_o settle_v in_o their_o own_o nest_n do_v laugh_n at_o the_o restless_a negotiation_n of_o such_o as_o turmoil_v in_o the_o wave_n of_o fortune_n and_o to_o satisfy_v themselves_o with_o the_o enjoy_n of_o homebred_a and_o easily-compassed_a delight_n of_o body_n and_o of_o mind_n so_o that_o the_o skill_n design_v by_o the_o name_n of_o religion_n in_o our_o propose_a discourse_n be_v of_o a_o excellency_n and_o of_o a_o necessity_n not_o to_o be_v parallel_v by_o any_o other_o whatsoever_o and_o be_v compare_v to_o all_o other_o it_o outweigh_v their_o worth_n beyond_o all_o measure_n and_o proportion_n and_o at_o that_o rate_n deserve_v to_o be_v esteem_v by_o we_o and_o to_o be_v seek_v after_o with_o our_o whole_a force_n and_o with_o our_o utmost_a endeavour_n beside_o what_o we_o hitherto_o say_v philosopher_n do_v offer_v we_o yet_o another_o consideration_n not_o to_o be_v neglect_v they_o make_v a_o general_a division_n of_o man_n action_n into_o two_o kind_n whereof_o the_o one_o they_o seem_v to_o say_v be_v the_o action_n of_o man_n as_o he_o be_v man_n but_o that_o the_o other_o do_v proceed_v from_o he_o as_o he_o be_v endow_v with_o some_o particular_a quality_n yet_o withal_o that_o such_o quality_n be_v proper_a only_o to_o human_a nature_n as_o for_o example_n no_o live_a creature_n but_o man_n can_v be_v a_o smith_n a_o carpenter_n a_o pilot_n a_o musician_n a_o philosopher_n and_o yet_o none_o of_o the_o action_n peculiar_a to_o these_o person_n be_v in_o themselves_o consider_v to_o be_v the_o action_n of_o man_n as_o he_o be_v man_n but_o if_o any_o action_n be_v prudent_o valiant_o just_o or_o temperate_o perform_v they_o say_v that_o action_n proceed_v from_o he_o who_o do_v it_o as_o he_o be_v man_n but_o true_o according_a to_o my_o judgement_n this_o be_v not_o proper_o a_o division_n of_o action_n as_o action_n but_o rather_o of_o the_o degree_n or_o of_o the_o quality_n of_o the_o same_o kind_n of_o action_n for_o the_o smith_n and_o the_o pilot_n can_v exercise_v their_o respective_a trade_n but_o that_o their_o work_n must_v needs_o be_v either_o in_o convenient_a measure_n and_o circumstance_n or_o out_o of_o such_o and_o according_o what_o they_o do_v must_v be_v either_o prudent_a or_o imprudent_a just_a or_o unjust_a etc._o etc._o so_o that_o to_o be_v virtuous_a or_o
force_v to_o take_v man_n flesh_n upon_o he_o to_o teach_v it_o we_o because_o it_o be_v so_o high_a and_o transcendent_a beyond_o all_o that_o our_o eye_n have_v ever_o see_v or_o that_o our_o ear_n have_v ever_o hear_v or_o that_o our_o imagination_n have_v ever_o conceive_v or_o fancy_v that_o a_o less_o authority_n than_o god_n essential_a verity_n be_v not_o enough_o to_o settle_v our_o belief_n upon_o so_o sublime_a and_o so_o admirable_a mystery_n now_o this_o be_v so_o can_v we_o imagine_v that_o the_o discussion_n of_o ambiguous_a word_n in_o which_o such_o incomprehensible_a mystery_n be_v hide_v shall_v be_v leave_v to_o the_o fanciful_a changeableness_n of_o human_a apprehension_n who_o see_v not_o that_o man_n understanding_n must_v of_o necessity_n always_o incline_v the_o balance_n towards_o those_o thing_n he_o use_v to_o be_v conversant_a with_o that_o he_o be_v wont_a to_o see_v to_o hear_v and_o to_o conceive_v which_o be_v in_o effect_n direct_o contrary_a to_o 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defendant_n for_o his_o answer_v and_o according_o since_o it_o be_v well_o know_v that_o nothing_o but_o demonstration_n can_v give_v security_n of_o a_o disputable_a truth_n he_o who_o in_o a_o disputation_n of_o this_o nature_n undertake_v to_o prove_v a_o assertion_n ought_v first_o to_o engage_v his_o credit_n that_o in_o his_o conscience_n he_o esteem_v the_o argument_n he_o intend_v to_o propose_v to_o be_v demonstrative_a how_o ever_o he_o may_v apprehend_v a_o fail_n on_o his_o part_n in_o press_v it_o either_o through_o want_n of_o sufficient_a skill_n or_o through_o the_o over_o proportion_n of_o his_o adversary_n ability_n or_o through_o the_o difficulty_n of_o well_o open_v the_o matter_n and_o make_v the_o truth_n appear_v if_o he_o refuse_v to_o do_v this_o he_o be_v to_o be_v protest_v against_o for_o a_o thief_n and_o a_o robber_n as_o our_o saviour_n himself_o style_v such_o who_o have_v a_o design_n to_o abuse_v his_o hearer_n and_o to_o draw_v their_o soul_n for_o 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scripture_n proceed_v text_n who_o sense_n be_v disputable_a in_o the_o word_n themselves_o whereas_o the_o catholic_a be_v beforehand_o assure_v of_o the_o sense_n as_o far_o as_o concern_v faith_n therefore_o it_o be_v in_o vain_a for_o he_o to_o search_v in_o a_o uncertain_a instructor_n the_o knowledge_n of_o that_o which_o he_o already_o know_v certain_o yet_o further_o if_o any_o catholic_a do_v admit_v disputation_n for_o his_o own_o sake_n and_o satisfaction_n he_o leave_v be_v a_o catholic_a for_o the_o end_n of_o disputation_n be_v to_o clear_v a_o doubt_n and_o therefore_o where_o be_v no_o doubt_n there_o be_v no_o need_n of_o dispute_v neither_o can_v a_o catholic_a have_v any_o doubt_n in_o any_o matter_n of_o faith_n unless_o he_o suspect_v his_o rule_n which_o if_o he_o once_o do_v he_o be_v no_o long_o a_o catholic_a on_o the_o other_o side_n the_o protestant_a build_v all_o his_o faith_n upon_o the_o ambiguous_a word_n of_o scripture_n so_o loud_o dispute_v and_o eternal_o disputable_a must_v necessary_o if_o he_o be_v a_o rational_a man_n live_v in_o perpetual_a doubt_n for_o the_o very_a opposition_n of_o so_o many_o wise_a and_o learned_a man_n as_o affirm_v that_o the_o word_n he_o allege_v do_v not_o signify_v that_o which_o be_v necessary_a for_o his_o position_n be_v sufficient_a to_o make_v any_o rational_a man_n be_v in_o doubt_n of_o a_o exposition_n of_o word_n that_o may_v bear_v several_a sense_n which_o he_o see_v be_v so_o obvious_a and_o ordinary_a a_o rock_n of_o mistake_v therefore_o a_o protestant_a be_v not_o rational_a if_o he_o shall_v not_o always_o demand_v search_v and_o dispute_v until_o experience_n shall_v have_v teach_v he_o there_o be_v no_o end_n of_o it_o or_o by_o it_o he_o must_v resolve_v either_o to_o be_v ignorant_a and_o to_o trust_v or_o else_o to_o dispute_v without_o end_n and_o in_o very_a truth_n his_o dispute_v be_v to_o no_o end_n for_o suppose_v he_o be_v the_o arguent_fw-la and_o do_v convince_v 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