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he_o may_v be_v trust_v or_o no_o and_o for_o this_o he_o can_v expect_v no_o better_a satisfaction_n than_o that_o his_o history_n have_v be_v in_o great_a reputation_n for_o its_o integrity_n among_o the_o most_o know_a person_n but_o how_o shall_v he_o be_v sure_a this_o be_v the_o history_n write_v by_o thucydides_n since_o there_o have_v be_v many_o counterfeit_a write_n obtrude_v upon_o the_o world_n beside_o the_o consent_n of_o learned_a man_n in_o all_o age_n since_o we_o may_v compare_v the_o testimony_n cite_v out_o of_o it_o with_o the_o history_n we_o have_v and_o the_o style_n with_o the_o character_n give_v of_o thucydides_n and_o the_o narration_n with_o other_o credible_a history_n of_o those_o time_n and_o if_o all_o these_o agree_v what_o reason_n can_v there_o be_v not_o to_o rely_v upon_o the_o history_n of_o thucydides_n all_o learned_a man_n do_v acknowledge_v that_o there_o have_v be_v multitude_n of_o fictitious_a write_n but_o do_v they_o therefore_o 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religion_n of_o the_o east_n indies_n why_o do_v not_o orpheus_n or_o numa_n or_o any_o other_o introducer_n of_o religious_a customa_n among_o the_o greek_n or_o roman_n or_o mahomet_n among_o the_o arabian_n put_v the_o issue_n of_o the_o truth_n of_o their_o religion_n on_o such_o a_o plain_a and_o easy_a trial_n as_o this_o if_o you_o say_v that_o christ_n appear_v only_o to_o his_o friend_n who_o be_v ready_a to_o believe_v such_o thing_n and_o not_o among_o his_o enemy_n i_o answer_v that_o though_o they_o be_v his_o friend_n yet_o they_o be_v very_o hard_o to_o be_v persuade_v of_o the_o truth_n of_o it_o at_o first_o and_o afterward_o give_v large_a testimony_n of_o their_o fidelity_n than_o the_o testimony_n of_o the_o great_a enemy_n will_v have_v be_v for_o we_o shall_v have_v have_v only_o their_o bare_a word_n for_o it_o if_o they_o will_v have_v give_v that_o which_o be_v very_o questionable_a consider_v their_o deal_n with_o the_o other_o miracle_n of_o christ_n but_o the_o apostle_n manifest_v their_o sincerity_n by_o all_o real_a proof_n that_o can_v be_v think_v sufficient_a to_o satisfy_v mankind_n appeal_n to_o the_o very_a person_n who_o be_v concern_v the_o most_o in_o it_o have_v a_o hand_n in_o the_o death_n of_o christ_n declare_v their_o great_a readiness_n to_o suffer_v any_o thing_n rather_o than_o deny_v the_o truth_n of_o it_o and_o lay_v down_o their_o life_n at_o last_o for_o it_o if_o all_o this_o have_v be_v a_o mere_a fiction_n how_o unlikely_a be_v it_o that_o among_o so_o many_o as_o be_v conscious_a of_o it_o no_o one_o person_n by_o hope_n or_o fear_n by_o flattery_n or_o threaten_n can_v ever_o be_v prevail_v upon_o to_o deny_v the_o truth_n of_o it_o if_o there_o have_v be_v any_o such_o thing_n what_o triumph_v have_v there_o be_v among_o the_o
but_o to_o my_o apprehension_n very_o plain_a and_o easy_a if_o we_o attend_v to_o the_o main_a scope_n and_o design_n of_o they_o which_o be_v to_o acquaint_v abraham_n how_o long_o it_o will_v be_v before_o the_o prophecy_n be_v accomplish_v and_o what_o the_o condition_n of_o his_o seed_n shall_v be_v the_o mean_a time_n viz._n that_o they_o shall_v have_v no_o land_n which_o they_o shall_v call_v their_o own_o by_o inheritance_n all_o that_o time_n but_o they_o shall_v be_v expose_v to_o great_a hardship_n yea_o even_o to_o servitude_n but_o that_o nation_n who_o they_o shall_v serve_v shall_v at_o last_o suffer_v for_o their_o ill_a usage_n of_o they_o and_o they_o shall_v come_v out_o of_o that_o captivity_n with_o great_a substance_n and_o all_o this_o to_o be_v do_v in_o the_o four_o generation_n of_o the_o amorites_n when_o their_o iniquity_n shall_v be_v arrive_v at_o the_o full_a height_n all_o which_o particular_n be_v so_o remarkable_o accomplish_v at_o such_o a_o distance_n of_o time_n and_o under_o such_o improbable_a circumstance_n that_o that_o this_o very_a prophecy_n be_v enough_o to_o convince_v a_o unprejudiced_a mind_n that_o it_o come_v from_o divine_a inspiration_n for_o where_o do_v we_o meet_v with_o any_o thing_n like_o this_o in_o the_o history_n of_o other_o nation_n viz._n a_o prophecy_n to_o be_v accomplish_v 400_o year_n after_o and_o the_o very_a manner_n foretell_v which_o no_o humane_a conjecture_n can_v reach_v to_o since_o the_o manner_n of_o deliverance_n of_o the_o people_n of_o israel_n out_o of_o their_o captivity_n in_o egypt_n be_v to_o all_o humane_a appearance_n so_o impossible_a a_o thing_n especial_o at_o such_o a_o time_n when_o the_o spirit_n of_o the_o people_n be_v sink_v and_o break_v by_o so_o long_a a_o slavery_n and_o not_o only_o the_o manner_n foretell_v but_o the_o accomplishment_n happen_v to_o a_o day_n according_a to_o exodus_fw-la 12._o 41._o and_o it_o come_v to_o pass_v at_o the_o end_n of_o the_o 430_o year_n even_o the_o selfsame_o day_n it_o come_v to_o pass_v that_o all_o the_o host_n of_o the_o lord_n go_v out_o from_o the_o land_n of_o egypt_n but_o against_o this_o you_o object_n that_o the_o sojourn_v be_v speak_v of_o the_o child_n of_o israel_n in_o egypt_n for_o 430_o year_n which_o can_v hold_v good_a any_o way_n since_o to_o make_v it_o up_o the_o time_n of_o abraham_n isaac_n and_o jacob_n must_v be_v take_v in_o who_o can_v not_o be_v call_v the_o child_n of_o israel_n answ._n for_o the_o 430_o year_n i_o grant_v that_o according_a to_o st._n paul_n they_o do_v commence_v from_o the_o covenant_n make_v to_o abraham_n gal._n 3._o 17._o and_o that_o the_o 400_o year_n begin_v from_o isaac_n be_v own_v for_o the_o promise_a seed_n between_o which_o time_n the_o 30_o year_n be_v pass_v and_o all_o appearance_n of_o difficulty_n be_v avoid_v if_o we_o admit_v the_o read_n of_o the_o best_a copy_n of_o the_o lxx_o which_o be_v in_o these_o word_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_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 authority_n of_o the_o hebrew_n copy_n who_o all_o agree_v that_o the_o begin_n of_o the_o computation_n of_o the_o 430_o year_n be_v to_o be_v take_v before_o the_o child_n of_o israel_n go_v into_o egypt_n and_o menasseh_n ben_n israel_n contend_v with_o many_o other_o that_o the_o 430_o year_n do_v begin_v from_o the_o promise_v make_v to_o abraham_n and_o the_o 400_o from_o the_o time_n of_o isaac_n to_o which_o their_o most_o ancient_a book_n of_o chronology_n do_v agree_v and_o to_o the_o same_o purpose_n speak_v both_o philo_n judaeus_n and_o josephus_n who_o although_o in_o one_o place_n he_o seem_v to_o make_v the_o israelite_n affliction_n in_o egypt_n to_o have_v be_v 400_o year_n yet_o when_o he_o speak_v more_o particular_o of_o it_o he_o make_v the_o time_n of_o their_o abode_n in_o egypt_n to_o have_v be_v only_o 215_o and_o the_o 430_o to_o begin_v from_o abraham_n entrance_n into_o canaan_n the_o targum_fw-la of_o jonathan_n begin_v the_o 430_o from_o the_o vision_n of_o abraham_n and_o the_o 400_o from_o the_o birth_n of_o isaac_n all_o which_o i_o mention_v to_o let_v you_o see_v that_o the_o jew_n themselves_o do_v in_o sense_n concur_v with_o the_o samaritan_n and_o greek_a copy_n and_o therefore_o we_o have_v more_o reason_n to_o suspect_v something_o leave_v out_o in_o the_o present_a hebrew_n than_o any_o thing_n add_v in_o those_o copy_n but_o do_v not_o this_o take_v off_o from_o the_o authority_n of_o the_o scripture_n not_o at_o all_o for_o the_o only_a question_n be_v about_o the_o true_a read_n and_o have_v the_o consent_n of_o the_o samaritan_n alexandrian_n and_o other_o copy_n of_o the_o lxx_o and_o of_o the_o ancient_a church_n and_o of_o the_o jew_n themselves_o as_o to_o the_o sense_n of_o it_o we_o have_v reason_n to_o look_v on_o this_o as_o the_o true_a read_v which_o be_v make_v no_o addition_n to_o the_o scripture_n either_o as_o to_o person_n or_o place_n but_o only_o produce_v the_o more_o authentic_a copy_n much_o less_o be_v this_o add_v or_o change_a as_o we_o please_v for_o if_o we_o do_v this_o without_o so_o much_o authority_n as_o we_o have_v for_o it_o you_o may_v as_o easy_o reject_v it_o as_o we_o produce_v it_o 3._o after_o all_o this_o i_o do_v not_o see_v the_o mighty_a force_n of_o your_o reason_n to_o charge_v the_o scripture_n with_o contradiction_n suppose_v the_o 400_o year_n be_v to_o be_v spend_v in_o the_o servitude_n of_o the_o child_n of_o israel_n in_o egypt_n i_o confess_v when_o i_o find_v the_o scripture_n so_o bold_o so_o frequent_o charge_v with_o no_o less_o than_o contradiction_n i_o expect_v something_o like_o demonstration_n in_o the_o case_n especial_o in_o this_o place_n which_o you_o choose_v to_o put_v in_o the_o front_n of_o all_o but_o i_o do_v not_o find_v any_o thing_n like_o such_o a_o proof_n of_o a_o contradiction_n suppose_v we_o shall_v allow_v the_o 400_o year_n to_o be_v spend_v in_o egypt_n yes_o say_v you_o coath_n be_v 5_o year_n old_a when_o he_o come_v down_o into_o egypt_n and_o when_o he_o have_v live_v there_o 65_o year_n he_o beget_v amram_n and_o amram_n be_v 70_o year_n old_a beget_v moses_n to_o which_o moses_n his_o 80_o year_n be_v add_v we_o have_v only_o 215_o year_n but_o since_o the_o scripture_n do_v not_o assign_v the_o particular_a age_n of_o any_o of_o these_o when_o they_o beget_v their_o child_n i_o see_v no_o impossibility_n or_o repugnancy_n in_o the_o supposition_n that_o 400_o year_n shall_v pass_v from_o levi's_fw-la go_v into_o egypt_n to_o the_o eighti_v of_o moses_n any_o more_o than_o from_o salmon_n entrance_n into_o canaan_n to_o the_o time_n of_o david_n for_o no_o more_o be_v reckon_v in_o scripture_n than_o boaz_n the_o son_n of_o salmon_n by_o raab_n and_o obed_n and_o jesse_n so_o that_o by_o the_o same_o way_n this_o latter_a may_v be_v explain_v the_o former_a may_v be_v so_o too_o if_o it_o be_v say_v that_o either_o they_o beget_v their_o child_n at_o a_o great_a age_n or_o that_o the_o scripture_n in_o genealogy_n do_v not_o set_v down_o all_o the_o intermediate_v parent_n but_o only_o the_o most_o eminent_a as_o caleb_n be_v call_v the_o son_n of_o esron_n 1_o chron._n 2._o 9_o 18._o although_o there_o be_v at_o least_o one_o between_o they_o the_o very_a same_o answer_n will_v serve_v to_o clear_v this_o part_n of_o the_o chronology_n of_o scripture_n from_o any_o appearance_n of_o contradiction_n these_o thing_n you_o may_v have_v find_v more_o large_o deduce_v and_o full_o handle_v by_o those_o learned_a person_n who_o have_v undertake_v to_o clear_v the_o chronology_n of_o scripture_n who_o be_v man_n of_o more_o judgement_n than_o from_o any_o difficulty_n of_o this_o nature_n to_o call_v in_o question_n the_o truth_n and_o