witness_n and_o therefore_o it_o be_v â—ound_v and_o persuasive_a yet_o we_o refuse_v not_o but_o challenge_v to_o the_o doctrine_n which_o we_o teach_v the_o consent_n of_o the_o ancient_a church_n but_o with_o these_o caution_n 1._o with_o the_o primitive_a and_o apostolical_a church_n which_o as_o they_o be_v most_o ancient_a so_o be_v they_o the_o pure_a 2._o with_o the_o church_n which_o be_v after_o they_o five_o or_o six_o hundred_o year_n so_o far_o forth_o as_o they_o consent_v in_o doctrine_n and_o discipline_n with_o the_o former_a for_o many_o popish_a error_n be_v ancient_a and_o the_o apostle_n tell_v we_o that_o antichrist_n begin_v to_o work_v in_o a_o mystery_n even_o in_o their_o day_n and_o some_o of_o the_o father_n be_v carry_v into_o some_o superstition_n and_o error_n and_o so_o not_o espy_v the_o mystery_n help_v up_o antichrist_n who_o they_o intend_v to_o hold_v down_o 3._o the_o holy_a ghost_n have_v reveal_v every_o doctrine_n necessary_a to_o salvation_n 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hereunto_o answer_v that_o commandment_n joh._n 5.39_o search_v the_o scripture_n namely_o moses_n and_o the_o prophet_n that_o be_v do_v not_o only_o procure_v these_o write_n to_o yourselves_o nor_o only_o read_v perfunctory_o but_o diligent_o and_o studious_o search_v to_o find_v out_o the_o chief_a scope_n and_o matter_n contain_v therein_o which_o lie_v not_o in_o the_o crust_n or_o shell_n but_o within_o in_o the_o very_a bowel_n of_o they_o and_o this_o kernel_n himself_o in_o the_o next_o word_n show_v to_o be_v himself_o and_o life_n eternal_a through_o he_o and_o why_o must_v we_o thus_o search_v the_o scripture_n of_o the_o prophet_n himself_o render_v the_o reason_n the_o very_a ground_n of_o our_o exhortation_n because_o they_o testify_v of_o i_o this_o be_v the_o natural_a scope_n of_o they_o to_o bring_v man_n to_o the_o acknowledgement_n of_o the_o person_n office_n &_o benefit_n of_o christ._n thou_o lose_v all_o thy_o labour_n in_o search_v the_o scripture_n if_o thou_o search_v any_o thing_n but_o christ_n if_o thou_o have_v not_o and_o hold_v he_o not_o in_o thy_o eye_n if_o thou_o give_v over_o search_v before_o thou_o have_v meet_v with_o he_o and_o then_o thou_o have_v meet_v with_o he_o in_o the_o scripture_n not_o when_o thou_o historical_o know_v something_o of_o he_o which_o thou_o do_v not_o know_v before_o nor_o when_o thou_o be_v able_a to_o discourse_n or_o dispute_v of_o deep_a point_n of_o divinity_n but_o when_o thou_o come_v unto_o he_o as_o the_o context_n show_v when_o by_o the_o quicken_a of_o thy_o faith_n and_o repentance_n thou_o lay_v fast_o hold_v upon_o he_o for_o life_n everlasting_a alas_o how_o few_o searcher_n of_o the_o scripture_n thus_o search_v they_o to_o say_v nothing_o of_o they_o who_o search_v they_o not_o at_o all_o but_o cast_v they_o aside_o as_o refuse_v ware_n of_o who_o we_o may_v renew_v the_o woeful_a complaint_n of_o christ_n against_o the_o jew_n who_o when_o he_o have_v exhort_v they_o to_o search_v the_o scripture_n present_o add_v but_o you_o will_v not_o come_v to_o i_o that_o you_o may_v have_v life_n joh._n 5.40_o the_o second_o point_n be_v the_o scope_n of_o all_o the_o prophet_n witness_n and_o this_o be_v to_o bring_v man_n to_o believe_v in_o the_o name_n of_o the_o son_n of_o god_n which_o be_v by_o faith_n to_o receive_v christ_n as_o he_o have_v describe_v and_o propound_v himself_o in_o the_o word_n and_o promise_n of_o the_o gospel_n for_o although_o the_o apostle_n may_v soon_o have_v say_v that_o whosoever_o believe_v in_o he_o yet_o he_o use_v this_o phrase_n rather_o of_o believe_v in_o his_o name_n thereby_o secret_o to_o refer_v we_o unto_o the_o word_n of_o the_o prophet_n and_o apostle_n which_o testify_v of_o no_o other_o name_n to_o be_v save_v by_o but_o only_o the_o
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that_o we_o shall_v see_v and_o sometime_o feel_v to_o our_o cost_n and_o experimental_o be_v teach_v what_o furious_a hatred_n and_o irreconciliable_a cruelty_n our_o deadly_a enemy_n carry_v incessant_o against_o us._n 2._o that_o man_n may_v conceive_v what_o a_o horrible_a thing_n it_o be_v to_o be_v give_v up_o whole_o to_o the_o devil_n both_o body_n and_o soul_n and_o that_o in_o hell_n there_o can_v be_v nothing_o but_o gnash_n and_o tear_v and_o horror_n worse_o than_o ten_o thousand_o death_n where_o he_o have_v man_n whole_o in_o his_o own_o dominion_n if_o the_o tyranny_n of_o satan_n can_v be_v so_o great_a here_o we_o may_v conceive_v what_o it_o be_v there_o or_o at_o least_o that_o it_o be_v inconceiveable_a look_v serious_o upon_o such_o a_o pitiful_a spectacle_n as_o this_o be_v and_o thou_o shall_v not_o need_v any_o such_o messenger_n as_o the_o rich_a man_n will_v have_v send_v to_o his_o brethren_n to_o signify_v his_o miserable_a estate_n in_o hell_n let_v 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in_o those_o mind_n that_o he_o possess_v by_o sin_n which_o tyranny_n of_o he_o although_o it_o be_v little_o feel_v or_o perceive_v yet_o be_v it_o no_o less_o nay_o far_o great_a far_o more_o dangerous_a and_o which_o we_o have_v great_a cause_n both_o to_o fear_v and_o prevent_v by_o so_o much_o above_o the_o other_o as_o we_o account_v the_o soul_n more_o noble_a than_o the_o body_n and_o thing_n eternal_a above_o temporal_a now_o the_o use_n of_o this_o point_n shall_v be_v to_o give_v a_o further_a taste_n of_o satan_n tyranny_n in_o the_o soul_n of_o wicked_a man_n that_o they_o may_v hence_o see_v in_o part_n what_o a_o woeful_a estate_n they_o be_v in_o 2.26_o how_o they_o be_v in_o the_o snare_n of_o the_o devil_n take_v prisoner_n of_o he_o to_o do_v his_o will_n which_o be_v the_o most_o lamentable_a possession_n of_o all_o for_o when_o man_n be_v give_v up_o of_o god_n to_o satan_n power_n to_o be_v rule_v at_o his_o will_n they_o be_v out_o of_o their_o right_a mind_n and_o all_o the_o quality_n and_o behaviour_n of_o madman_n be_v evident_a in_o they_o they_o be_v take_v with_o dumb_a and_o deaf_a spirit_n and_o strike_v senseless_a to_o any_o thing_n that_o good_a be_v they_o be_v tongue-tied_a can_v speak_v a_o good_a word_n can_v open_v their_o mouth_n to_o pray_v or_o praise_n god_n but_o when_o satan_n lose_v their_o tongue_n they_o in_o rage_n against_o christ_n blaspheme_v he_o in_o himself_o in_o his_o word_n or_o in_o his_o servant_n or_o else_o their_o mouth_n be_v fill_v with_o idle_a filthy_a and_o hurtful_a speech_n which_o as_o they_o be_v set_v on_o fire_n of_o hell_n so_o every_o where_o by_o they_o kindle_v satan_n sparkle_v of_o dissension_n which_o be_v blow_v up_o to_o a_o whole_a world_n of_o wickedness_n as_o little_o can_v they_o hear_v any_o thing_n that_o be_v good_a their_o ear_n be_v stop_v will_v hear_v no_o voice_n of_o god_n or_o his_o servant_n their_o eye_n be_v blind_v by_o the_o god_n of_o this_o world_n that_o 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the_o apostle_n or_o to_o give_v place_n as_o in_o dorcas_n who_o by_o a_o word_n of_o the_o apostle_n be_v raise_v to_o life_n be_v dead_a by_o thâ—se_a mean_n the_o lord_n put_v into_o the_o hand_n of_o the_o apostle_n 4.33_o great_a power_n to_o give_v witness_n of_o the_o resurrection_n of_o christ._n the_o three_o thing_n be_v by_o what_o mean_v they_o witness_v or_o give_v testimony_n to_o christ._n answ._n because_o they_o be_v to_o be_v authentical_a and_o faithful_a witness_n to_o all_o the_o world_n and_o that_o both_o in_o the_o age_n wherein_o they_o live_v as_o also_o in_o all_o the_o succeed_a age_n to_o the_o end_n of_o the_o world_n therefore_o be_v it_o necessary_a that_o they_o shall_v give_v witness_n two_o way_n 1._o by_o zealous_a and_o painful_a preach_v by_o voice_n while_o they_o live_v 2._o even_o after_o their_o death_n by_o the_o holy_a doctrine_n leave_v behind_o they_o in_o their_o work_n and_o write_n and_o thus_o do_v they_o still_o remain_v public_a 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name_n of_o the_o lord_n jesus_n for_o our_o better_a clear_v of_o this_o point_n we_o will_v consider_v 1._o what_o this_o faith_n be_v 2._o the_o benefit_n of_o it_o 3._o the_o mark_n and_o sign_n of_o it_o 4._o the_o use_n be_v first_o what_o this_o faith_n be_v it_o be_v a_o supernatural_a gift_n whereby_o every_o believer_n apprehend_v and_o apply_v unto_o himself_o christ_n and_o all_o his_o merit_n unto_o salvation_n i_o say_v it_o be_v a_o gift_n nay_o the_o scripture_n say_v that_o it_o be_v the_o gift_n of_o god_n 1.29_o and_o it_o be_v give_v you_o to_o believe_v as_o also_o to_o suffer_v and_o that_o it_o be_v supernatural_a all_o the_o commandment_n we_o have_v to_o believe_v plain_o evince_v for_o be_v it_o natural_a we_o shall_v need_v no_o commandment_n to_o do_v it_o praecepto_fw-la further_o it_o be_v such_o a_o gift_n as_o whereby_o we_o apprehend_v and_o apply_v unto_o ourselves_o christ_n and_o all_o his_o merit_n for_o the_o very_a nature_n of_o justify_v and_o 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