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take_v advantage_n from_o the_o division_n and_o weakness_n of_o christendom_n to_o arm_v a_o savage_a multitude_n and_o make_v large_a inroad_n into_o it_o and_o then_o have_v bring_v into_o subjection_n the_o body_n of_o man_n first_o have_v no_o hard_a task_n afterward_o to_o enslave_v their_o soul_n and_o thus_o be_v it_o that_o the_o papal_a usurpation_n often_o prevail_v the_o bishop_n of_o rome_n get_v zealous_a prince_n into_o their_o interest_n and_o make_v they_o blind_o obedient_a to_o the_o holy_a see_v and_o then_o by_o their_o help_n force_v their_o decree_n upon_o whole_a unwilling_a province_n and_o kingdom_n and_o as_o some_o of_o their_o encroachment_n thus_o get_v footing_n so_o many_o other_o we_o know_v be_v bring_v in_o at_o first_o and_o have_v be_v support_v ever_o since_o by_o the_o high_a and_o most_o refine_v art_n of_o policy_n that_o see_v have_v never_o want_v from_o the_o very_a moment_n that_o it_o first_o set_v up_o its_o pretence_n a_o number_n of_o 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that_o doctrine_n which_o can_v inspire_v its_o follower_n with_o so_o much_o courage_n constancy_n and_o resolution_n and_o dispose_v man_n mighty_o to_o embrace_v the_o religion_n of_o christ_n afterward_o in_o better_a and_o more_o quiet_a time_n but_o before_o this_o motive_n can_v have_v any_o great_a force_n and_o influence_n the_o gospel_n have_v already_o spread_v and_o settle_a itself_o every_o where_o and_o therefore_o nothing_o can_v well_o be_v account_v for_o on_o this_o head_n but_o the_o accession_n that_o be_v make_v to_o christianity_n after_o it_o be_v sufficient_o establish_v and_o this_o have_v confess_o nothing_o extraordinary_a in_o it_o and_o be_v not_o the_o thing_n which_o we_o be_v at_o present_a inquire_v after_o the_o same_o answer_n serve_v to_o that_o other_o pretend_a account_n of_o this_o increase_n from_o the_o destruction_n of_o the_o jewish_a state_n it_o do_v indeed_o add_v to_o the_o number_n of_o christian_a convert_v when_o it_o happen_v but_o 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to_o come_v into_o a_o new_a world_n which_o they_o know_v nothing_o of_o and_o to_o preach_v a_o new_a gospel_n with_o which_o all_o man_n be_v unacquainted_a and_o yet_o still_o i_o say_v under_o these_o disadvantage_n also_o the_o word_n of_o god_n mighty_o grow_v and_o prevail_v a_o three_o help_v towards_o plant_v a_o doctrine_n it_o have_v be_v say_v to_o be_v if_o it_o be_v bring_v into_o the_o world_n in_o dark_a and_o barbarous_a time_n when_o man_n be_v either_o too_o rude_a and_o illiterate_a to_o be_v able_a to_o weigh_v and_o to_o dispute_v the_o truth_n of_o it_o or_o too_o much_o sink_v in_o sloth_n and_o vice_n to_o be_v willing_a to_o do_v it_o and_o this_o again_o can_v but_o put_v we_o in_o mind_n of_o the_o romish_a superstition_n for_o it_o be_v plain_a that_o they_o take_v that_o time_n of_o settle_v and_o spread_v their_o empire_n that_o of_o all_o time_n since_o the_o come_n of_o christ_n be_v the_o most_o ignorant_a and_o the_o least_o inquisitive_a when_o 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the_o roman_a empire_n be_v in_o its_o full_a glory_n and_o together_o with_o it_o all_o the_o art_n and_o science_n flourish_v when_o the_o world_n be_v in_o profound_a peace_n and_o at_o liberty_n to_o examine_v the_o truth_n of_o a_o opinion_n that_o set_v up_o with_o such_o pretence_n then_o do_v the_o glorious_a light_n of_o the_o gospel_n shine_v forth_o and_o challenge_v all_o the_o curiosity_n the_o subtlety_n and_o spite_n of_o man_n to_o inquire_v into_o it_o and_o sift_v it_o the_o doctrine_n of_o christianity_n show_v themselves_o bare_a face_v to_o all_o the_o wit_n and_o sage_n of_o both_o rome_n and_o athens_n and_o defy_v their_o doubt_n and_o their_o reason_n and_o yet_o under_o these_o discourage_a circumstance_n also_o it_o take_v root_v downward_o and_o bring_v forth_o fruit_n upward_o speedy_o and_o abundant_o the_o four_o help_n towards_o establish_v any_o new_a doctrine_n be_v if_o it_o be_v not_o propose_v to_o man_n all_o at_o once_o but_o insinuate_v into_o they_o only_o by_o insensible_a step_n and_o degree_n and_o this_o method_n have_v often_o make_v room_n for_o the_o belief_n of_o the_o most_o monstrous_a doctrine_n and_o the_o entertaintment_n of_o the_o wild_a absurdity_n witness_v once_o more_o several_a article_n in_o the_o roman_a catholic_a faith_n which_o have_v they_o be_v offer_v to_o the_o mind_n of_o man_n at_o once_o in_o their_o full_a latitude_n have_v be_v refuse_v with_o indignation_n and_o horror_n but_o be_v propose_v by_o piecemeal_o as_o it_o be_v be_v admit_v before_o man_n be_v aware_a every_o first_o step_n into_o error_n smooth_v the_o way_n towards_o a_o second_o and_o so_o onward_o till_o the_o passage_n be_v widen_v enough_o for_o a_o good_a lusty_a contradiction_n to_o enter_v in_o at_o it_o but_o far_o from_o this_o artificial_a method_n of_o win_a belief_n be_v the_o religion_n of_o jesus_n at_o its_o first_o come_v abroad_o it_o offer_v itelf_n to_o the_o view_n of_o man_n at_o full_a length_n and_o in_o all_o its_o proportion_n no_o moral_a precept_n be_v reserve_v for_o a_o more_o convenient_a time_n no_o doctrine_n no_o great_a fundamental_a doctrine_n be_v disguise_v or_o conceal_v the_o message_n it_o bring_v it_o deliver_v plain_o and_o open_o at_o once_o the_o most_o unwelcome_a practical_a truth_n a_o long_a with_o those_o already_o receive_v the_o sublimest_n point_v of_o faith_n together_o with_o the_o most_o easy_a and_o allow_v one_o the_o primitive_a apostle_n do_v not_o like_o those_o late_a one_o the_o father_n of_o the_o mission_n of_o china_n preach_v up_o first_o a_o glorified_a and_o then_o a_o crucified_a saviour_n but_o bear_v the_o scandal_n of_o the_o cross_n wheresoever_o and_o to_o whosoever_o they_o open_v the_o doctrine_n of_o it_o the_o slay_v of_o jesus_n and_o his_o be_v hang_v on_o a_o tree_n be_v mention_v in_o the_o very_a first_o sermon_n of_o s._n peter_n this_o humane_o speak_v be_v a_o unlikely_a way_n of_o gain_v proselyte_n and_o yet_o in_o spite_n of_o this_o unlikelyhood_n thus_o be_v innumerable_a proselyte_n gain_v let_v we_o lay_v together_o what_o have_v be_v say_v the_o gospel_n of_o christ_n at_o its_o early_o appearance_n have_v all_o the_o probability_n in_o the_o world_n against_o its_o success_n for_o it_o be_v possess_v scarce_o of_o any_o one_o of_o those_o advantage_n which_o do_v most_o signal_o recommend_v a_o new_a doctrine_n and_o make_v it_o thrive_v it_o have_v no_o comply_v tenet_n to_o soothe_v man_n appetite_n and_o passion_n but_o be_v all_o harsh_a and_o austere_a it_o have_v no_o encouragement_n no_o protection_n from_o the_o civil_a power_n no_o force_n nor_o cunning_a to_o uphold_v it_o no_o man_n of_o eminence_n and_o esteem_n to_o engage_v on_o its_o side_n the_o age_n in_o which_o it_o choose_v to_o discover_v itself_o be_v the_o most_o discern_a and_o enlighten_v the_o most_o curious_a and_o inquisitive_a of_o perhaps_o any_o that_o ever_o be_v before_o it_o or_o have_v be_v since_o it_o and_o therefore_o it_o do_v not_o impose_v at_o unaware_o upon_o a_o rude_a and_o ignorant_a generation_n final_o its_o promulger_n deliver_v it_o not_o out_o by_o parcel_n as_o be_v the_o way_n of_o cunning_a and_o design_v man_n but_o offer_v the_o whole_a of_o it_o to_o be_v all_o together_o examine_v and_o compare_v and_o yet_o with_o all_o these_o clog_n and_o encumbrance_n upon_o it_o it_o spring_v forth_o and_o make_v its_o way_n into_o the_o world_n by_o a_o swift_a and_o incredible_a progress_n and_o from_o hence_o therefore_o i_o infer_v that_o a_o divine_a power_n and_o virtue_n must_v needs_o have_v go_v along_o with_o it_o to_o supply_v what_o be_v want_v to_o it_o upon_o other_o account_n and_o that_o its_o increase_n can_v be_v esteem_v of_o any_o otherwise_o than_o as_o supernatural_a and_o miraculous_a so_o that_o be_v we_o acquaint_v with_o nothing_o more_o concern_v the_o apostle_n but_o what_o we_o have_v in_o the_o four_o evangelist_n be_v the_o book_n of_o their_o act_n lose_v and_o together_o with_o it_o all_o manner_n of_o account_n of_o the_o wondrous_a effusion_n of_o the_o holy_a spirit_n upon_o they_o at_o the_o day_n of_o pentecost_n and_o of_o the_o mighty_a sign_n and_o wonder_n which_o they_o afterward_o perform_v in_o virtue_n of_o that_o unction_n i_o say_v be_v we_o in_o the_o dark_a to_o all_o these_o matter_n of_o fact_n which_o plain_o show_v the_o christian_a religion_n to_o have_v be_v propagate_v by_o miracle_n yet_o can_v no_o consider_v man_n however_o deny_v but_o that_o their_o must_v have_v be_v somewhat_o miraculous_a in_o it_o such_o a_o increase_n from_o such_o beginning_n such_o a_o wonderful_a revolution_n bring_v about_o by_o such_o weak_a and_o disproportion_a instrument_n be_v itself_o a_o miracle_n and_o the_o great_a of_o miracle_n and_o do_v as_o