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frequent_o interweave_v in_o the_o scripture_n so_o as_o when_o saint_n matthew_n do_v in_o a_o historical_a narration_n bring_v in_o our_o saviour_n preach_v in_o the_o mount_n and_o deliver_v there_o a_o summary_n of_o his_o doctrine_n so_o that_o it_o will_v appear_v that_o if_o the_o historical_a part_n of_o the_o scripture_n be_v undoubted_o true_a there_o can_v rational_o be_v any_o doubt_n make_v of_o those_o doctrinal_a rule_n and_o precept_n which_o there_o be_v deliver_v as_o for_o the_o doctrine_n of_o any_o party_n whatsoever_o concerning_o god_n there_o be_v not_o imaginable_a any_o argument_n so_o ready_a to_o evince_v the_o truth_n of_o it_o as_o god_n himself_o free_o attest_v to_o the_o deliverer_n of_o it_o by_o mighty_a sign_n and_o wonder_n by_o great_a and_o undeniable_a miracle_n such_o as_o be_v instance_n of_o the_o immediate_a hand_n of_o god_n such_o as_o by_o skilful_a and_o know_a man_n be_v acknowledge_v to_o be_v no_o way_n performable_a by_o the_o 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that_o this_o man_n moses_n to_o make_v good_a his_o pretence_n to_o god_n revelation_n can_v obtain_v so_o much_o of_o god_n as_o to_o the_o eye_n and_o sense_n of_o million_o of_o gainsayer_n and_o opposer_n of_o what_o he_o do_v deliver_v to_o show_v great_a and_o palpable_a miracle_n whosoever_o do_v believe_v that_o he_o do_v turn_v a_o rod_n into_o a_o serpent_n and_o that_o back_o again_o into_o a_o rod_n that_o by_o stretch_v forth_o that_o rod_n upon_o the_o river_n nilus_n he_o turn_v their_o water_n into_o blood_n and_o slay_v their_o fish_n how_o afterwards_o he_o bring_v frog_n upon_o all_o the_o land_n of_o egypt_n even_o into_o their_o king_n chamber_n how_o he_o bring_v fly_n and_o caterpillar_n and_o louse_n and_o thunder_n and_o lightning_n and_o mighty_a hailstone_n how_o he_o bring_v botch_n and_o murrain_n among_o man_n and_o cattle_n how_o he_o bring_v upon_o all_o the_o land_n of_o egypt_n a_o darkness_n that_o may_v be_v feel_v and_o slay_v their_o first-born_a 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lightning_n and_o a_o thick_a cloud_n upon_o the_o mount_n exo._n 19_o how_o mount_n sinai_n be_v altogether_o on_o a_o smoke_n because_o the_o lord_n descend_v upon_o it_o in_o fire_n and_o the_o smoke_n thereof_o ascend_v as_o the_o smoke_n of_o a_o furnace_n and_o the_o whole_a mountain_n shake_v exceed_o whosoever_o believe_v these_o work_n to_o have_v be_v do_v by_o the_o same_o party_n that_o profess_v a_o revelation_n from_o god_n can_v avoid_v the_o belief_n of_o his_o profession_n unless_o he_o can_v believe_v that_o god_n by_o so_o great_a miracle_n will_v attest_v to_o blasphemy_n and_o sacrilegious_a imposture_n a_o thing_n which_o be_v palpable_o mad_a to_o be_v believe_v and_o be_v against_o the_o light_n of_o common_a sense_n and_o reason_n so_o likewise_o whosoever_o do_v believe_v that_o in_o the_o day_n of_o augustus_n caesar_n there_o be_v such_o a_o man_n as_o jesus_n of_o nazareth_n common_o call_v christ_n and_o that_o this_o man_n do_v profess_v himself_o the_o son_n of_o god_n and_o pretend_v to_o deliver_v to_o all_o the_o world_n a_o way_n of_o religion_n a_o covenant_n of_o life_n eternal_a a_o abrogation_n of_o the_o ceremony_n of_o the_o former_a law_n and_o those_o other_o thing_n which_o he_o profess_v there_o be_v no_o necessity_n that_o he_o shall_v believe_v that_o either_o he_o be_v the_o son_n of_o god_n or_o that_o his_o doctrine_n be_v infallible_a but_o if_o together_o with_o these_o profession_n he_o shall_v take_v into_o belief_n those_o thing_n which_o jesus_n do_v though_o for_o his_o own_o sake_n he_o see_v no_o reason_n to_o believe_v he_o yet_o at_o least_o he_o will_v believe_v for_o the_o work_n sake_n if_o he_o shall_v believe_v that_o god_n himself_o do_v attest_v to_o these_o profession_n he_o will_v likewise_o believe_v those_o profession_n of_o his_o to_o have_v be_v true_a and_o god_n attestation_n
thing_n which_o he_o deliver_v he_o be_v bear_v near_o hand_n he_o travel_v through_o palestina_n may_v converse_v with_o those_o very_a man_n upon_o who_o jesus_n have_v wrought_v his_o miracle_n such_o as_o have_v see_v the_o life_n of_o jesus_n his_o death_n and_o resurrection_n the_o act_n of_o the_o apostle_n be_v likewise_o write_v by_o saint_n luke_n and_o that_o book_n contain_v some_o thing_n do_v by_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o apostle_n but_o the_o most_o of_o it_o be_v concerning_o the_o action_n of_o paul_n after_o his_o miraculous_a conversion_n the_o former_a it_o be_v easy_a for_o he_o to_o know_v either_o from_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o or_o other_o of_o the_o latter_a he_o can_v not_o be_v ignorant_a because_o he_o be_v continual_o with_o paul_n in_o all_o his_o labour_n and_o his_o journey_n even_o from_o the_o time_n of_o his_o conversion_n to_o his_o imprisonment_n at_o rome_n as_o for_o the_o matter_n of_o fact_n which_o be_v deliver_v in_o the_o epistle_n of_o paul_n and_o peter_n and_o james_n and_o john_n and_o jude_n they_o be_v such_o as_o either_o be_v do_v by_o themselves_o and_o so_o they_o can_v not_o possible_o be_v ignorant_a of_o they_o or_o by_o other_o with_o who_o they_o hold_v a_o correspondence_n or_o by_o our_o saviour_n who_o apostle_n they_o be_v all_o but_o paul_n or_o else_o they_o be_v thing_n do_v by_o other_o public_o and_o notorious_o know_v last_o as_o for_o the_o epistle_n to_o the_o hebrew_n and_o the_o revelation_n though_o the_o author_n of_o they_o be_v not_o certain_o know_v in_o the_o church_n yet_o thus_o much_o be_v plain_a that_o the_o author_n to_o the_o hebrew_n say_v that_o the_o gospel_n of_o jesus_n be_v preach_v at_o first_o by_o christ_n and_o confirm_v unto_o he_o we_o by_o they_o that_o hear_v he_o 2._o v._n 3._o and_o so_o that_o he_o can_v not_o be_v ignorant_a of_o that_o nor_o yet_o be_v it_o possible_a that_o the_o author_n of_o the_o revelation_n shall_v be_v ignorant_a whether_o or_o no_o he_o have_v those_o vision_n which_o he_o have_v deliver_v now_o these_o be_v all_o the_o book_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n and_o it_o appear_v that_o the_o author_n of_o they_o have_v as_o much_o opportunity_n to_o know_v the_o thing_n which_o they_o deliver_v as_o be_v possible_a to_o be_v have_v wherefore_o the_o business_n be_v clear_a in_o respect_n of_o their_o sufficiency_n of_o knowledge_n and_o all_o the_o question_n which_o remain_v it_o must_v be_v in_o regard_n of_o their_o integrity_n whosoever_o challenge_v or_o question_n the_o integrity_n of_o a_o historian_n and_o upon_o that_o cause_n refuse_v to_o receive_v his_o testimony_n it_o be_v requisite_a that_o he_o produce_v the_o reason_n of_o his_o suspicion_n that_o he_o charge_v the_o author_n of_o corruption_n and_o prove_v the_o charge_n which_o he_o have_v object_v or_o that_o he_o discover_v and_o manifest_v the_o end_n which_o he_o may_v propound_v to_o himself_o as_o the_o reward_n of_o his_o imposture_n that_o he_o show_v the_o gain_n that_o may_v accrue_v or_o the_o loss_n or_o peril_n or_o ignominy_n that_o he_o may_v avoid_v and_o manifest_a that_o his_o accusation_n have_v not_o proceed_v from_o malice_n but_o from_o judgement_n from_o some_o ground_n of_o reason_n and_o not_o from_o perverseness_n or_o spite_n or_o any_o inhumanity_n here_o than_o it_o be_v that_o we_o challenge_v man_n or_o devil_n to_o produce_v the_o crime_n to_o detect_v and_o prove_v the_o villainy_n of_o these_o writer_n nay_o to_o assign_v the_o end_n which_o they_o may_v have_v in_o relate_v falsehood_n the_o gain_n the_o pleasure_n the_o glory_n the_o safety_n or_o whatsoever_o it_o be_v that_o prevail_v upon_o the_o appetite_n and_o lust_n of_o man_n and_o let_v their_o infidelity_n and_o jealousy_n outdo_v the_o malice_n of_o the_o grand_a apostate_n indeed_o i_o think_v scorn_n to_o stand_v upon_o this_o argument_n it_o be_v the_o contemplation_n of_o these_o thing_n chief_o that_o gain_v from_o i_o that_o second_o assertion_n that_o there_o be_v great_a reason_n to_o believe_v the_o scripture_n than_o any_o other_o writing_n in_o the_o world_n the_o first_o proposition_n be_v already_o demonstrate_v that_o we_o have_v as_o great_a sect._n v._o that_o there_o be_v much_o great_a reason_n to_o believe_v the_o history_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n than_o any_o other_o history_n have_v already_o demonstrate_v that_o consider_v the_o qualification_n of_o the_o person_n who_o have_v record_v unto_o we_o the_o new_a testament_n of_o our_o saviour_n there_o be_v as_o great_a reason_n to_o give_v credence_n to_o their_o history_n as_o to_o any_o other_o ancient_a history_n in_o the_o world_n by_o reason_n of_o their_o mean_n of_o knowledge_n and_o opportunity_n for_o discovery_n of_o the_o truth_n of_o those_o matter_n of_o fact_n which_o they_o have_v deliver_v it_o follow_v now_o that_o we_o make_v good_a that_o which_o in_o the_o second_o place_n we_o propound_v concerning_o they_o which_o be_v that_o we_o have_v great_a reason_n to_o believe_v they_o then_o to_o believe_v any_o historian_n whatsoever_o and_o this_o now_o will_v be_v manifest_v to_o we_o by_o these_o argument_n follow_v 1._o great_a obligation_n 2._o their_o suffering_n 3._o their_o miracle_n 4._o their_o prediction_n first_o then_o they_o be_v more_o powerful_o oblige_v to_o the_o delivery_n of_o the_o truth_n than_o other_o not_o that_o other_o be_v not_o oblige_v likewise_o to_o deliver_v nothing_o but_o the_o truth_n there_o be_v in_o the_o conscience_n of_o every_o soul_n settle_v a_o principle_n dictate_v unto_o he_o that_o he_o ought_v not_o not_o to_o recede_v from_o the_o truth_n in_o his_o relation_n but_o yet_o this_o principle_n be_v in_o the_o most_o of_o man_n very_o much_o overcloud_v and_o overbear_v as_o be_v manifest_a not_o only_o by_o the_o fabulous_a relation_n of_o ancient_a history_n even_o after_o the_o institution_n of_o the_o olympiad_n but_o by_o that_o inclination_n which_o we_o find_v almost_o in_o all_o man_n to_o make_v their_o relation_n handsome_a in_o order_n whereunto_o even_o the_o grave_a of_o they_o josephus_n livy_n and_o the_o rest_n of_o those_o order_n of_o historian_n have_v often_o change_v the_o form_n of_o circumstance_n and_o vary_v from_o the_o truth_n to_o make_v a_o coherence_n of_o thing_n according_a to_o their_o fancy_n such_o as_o may_v please_v their_o own_o imagination_n the_o truth_n be_v that_o which_o hold_v in_o the_o heathen_a so_o far_o as_o they_o be_v hold_v within_o the_o boundary_n of_o truth_n it_o can_v be_v conceive_v to_o be_v no_o other_o than_o a_o certain_a magnanimity_n and_o a_o moral_a generosity_n that_o be_v actuate_v and_o quicken_v in_o they_o by_o the_o conceit_n of_o a_o reputation_n thereby_o gain_v among_o the_o people_n of_o their_o own_o generation_n their_o hope_n of_o perpetuate_v their_o own_o fame_n together_o with_o the_o act_n which_o they_o record_v and_o consecrate_v they_o to_o eternity_n and_o immortality_n i_o do_v not_o say_v that_o this_o be_v all_o the_o motive_n which_o they_o have_v but_o that_o upon_o the_o consideration_n of_o they_o in_o the_o whole_a complexion_n of_o their_o circumstance_n i_o can_v find_v out_o any_o more_o powerful_a motive_n nor_o any_o strong_a obligation_n but_o beside_o all_o that_o these_o man_n have_v to_o move_v they_o the_o writer_n of_o the_o new_a testament_n have_v likewise_o other_o motive_n as_o far_o beyond_o these_o as_o the_o heaven_n be_v beyond_o the_o earth_n either_o in_o dignity_n or_o situation_n a_o most_o severe_a injunction_n of_o their_o master_n such_o as_o they_o themselves_o have_v deliver_v such_o as_o they_o can_v not_o neither_o dare_v neglect_v their_o writing_n abound_v in_o precept_n of_o truth_n and_o of_o veracity_n and_o that_o prescribe_v under_o far_o other_o condition_n and_o settle_v upon_o a_o far_o sure_a foundation_n upon_o the_o foundation_n of_o truth_n itself_o the_o original_a and_o the_o ideal_a truth_n of_o the_o world_n and_o propound_v to_o they_o under_o far_o other_o penalty_n they_o know_v full_a well_o and_o teach_v to_o other_o that_o of_o every_o idle_a word_n which_o man_n shall_v speak_v a_o account_n must_v be_v give_v at_o the_o day_n of_o judgement_n how_o dreadful_a a_o account_n than_o must_v they_o have_v expect_v if_o they_o shall_v have_v deliver_v falsehood_n in_o the_o place_n of_o truth_n if_o they_o shall_v have_v tell_v a_o lie_n for_o god_n or_o lie_v of_o god_n or_o deliver_v imposture_n in_o the_o name_n of_o god_n nay_o very_o the_o necessity_n which_o lie_v upon_o they_o compare_v to_o other_o do_v as_o far_o exceed_v it_o as_o the_o fear_n of_o a_o little_a disreputation_n be_v exceed_v by_o the_o horror_n of_o eternal_a torment_n and_o now_o their_o practice_n be_v also_o answerable_a to_o their_o obligation_n and_o what_o they_o deliver_v