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that_o in_o christ_n jesus_n neither_o circumcision_n avail_v any_o thing_n nor_o uncircumcision_n but_o faith_n operative_a through_o love_n we_o may_v learn_v his_o meaning_n from_o a_o parallel_a place_n where_o vary_v the_o word_n and_o not_o the_o sense_n of_o the_o latter_a part_n of_o the_o sentence_n he_o say_v that_o in_o christ_n jesus_n neither_o circumcision_n avail_v any_o thing_n nor_o uncircumcision_n but_o the_o keep_n of_o the_o commandment_n of_o god_n i_o ready_o grant_v that_o attainment_n of_o a_o high_a degree_n of_o faith_n be_v always_o a_o blessing_n and_o can_v be_v sufficient_o prize_v without_o be_v sincere_o aim_v at_o but_o there_o be_v in_o some_o virtue_n and_o grace_n degree_n which_o though_o to_o reach_n be_v a_o great_a happiness_n yet_o it_o be_v but_o the_o endeavour_v after_o they_o that_o be_v a_o indispensible_a duty_n likewise_o it_o be_v true_a that_o the_o firmness_n of_o assent_n to_o divine_a verity_n do_v in_o some_o regard_n bring_v 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honour_v he_o who_o be_v so_o willing_a to_o obey_v and_o serve_v he_o and_o so_o ambitious_a to_o be_v in_o a_o estate_n where_o he_o may_v always_o do_v so_o that_o upon_o what_o he_o yet_o discern_v to_o be_v but_o a_o probability_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n be_v the_o most_o acceptable_a to_o god_n he_o embrace_v it_o with_o all_o its_o difficulty_n and_o danger_n and_o upon_o this_o score_n venturous_o resolve_v to_o submit_v if_o need_v be_v to_o a_o present_a and_o actual_a dereliction_n of_o all_o his_o sin_n and_o lust_n and_o perhaps_o his_o interest_n and_o his_o life_n too_o upon_o a_o comparative_o uncertain_a expectation_n of_o live_v with_o he_o hereafter_o the_o conclusion_n of_o the_o first_o part._n and_o here_o i_o will_v put_v a_o period_n to_o my_o answer_n to_o your_o friend_n question_v in_o one_o of_o the_o two_o sense_n of_o it_o and_o so_o to_o the_o first_o part_n of_o this_o discourse_n against_o all_o which_o perhaps_o your_o friend_n will_v object_v that_o at_o this_o rate_n of_o argue_v for_o the_o christian_a religion_n one_o may_v apologise_v for_o any_o opinion_n and_o reconcile_v the_o most_o unreasonable_a one_o to_o right_a reason_n but_o it_o be_v not_o difficult_a for_o i_o to_o reply_v that_o this_o objection_n be_v ground_v either_o upon_o a_o mistake_n of_o the_o design_n of_o this_o letter_n or_o upon_o the_o overlooking_a of_o what_o be_v suppose_v in_o it_o for_o i_o do_v not_o pretend_v that_o the_o consideration_n hitherto_o allege_v shall_v pass_v for_o demonstration_n of_o the_o truth_n of_o christianity_n which_o be_v to_o be_v prove_v by_o the_o excellency_n of_o the_o doctrine_n it_o teach_v and_o that_o of_o the_o reward_v it_o promise_n both_o which_o be_v worthy_a of_o god_n and_o by_o divers_a other_o argument_n especial_o the_o divine_a miracle_n that_o attest_v it_o but_o that_o which_o i_o be_v here_o to_o do_v be_v not_o to_o lay_v down_o the_o ground_n why_o i_o receive_v the_o christian_a 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outweigh_v the_o argument_n alledgable_a in_o that_o religion_n behalf_n to_o propose_v some_o of_o the_o general_a ground_n of_o this_o answer_n of_o i_o be_v the_o design_n of_o the_o consideration_n hitherto_o discourse_v of_o which_o as_o i_o hint_v to_o you_o at_o the_o beginning_n can_v be_v no_o other_o than_o general_a unless_o you_o have_v mention_v to_o i_o some_o of_o your_o friend_n particular_a objection_n which_o when_o he_o tell_v you_o you_o will_v perhaps_o find_v that_o i_o have_v already_o give_v you_o the_o ground_n of_o answer_v they_o and_o though_o to_o propose_v argument_n to_o evince_v positive_o the_o truth_n of_o our_o religion_n after_o the_o example_n of_o the_o excellent_a grotius_n and_o some_o other_o very_o learned_a writer_n be_v not_o as_o you_o see_v either_o my_o task_n or_o my_o design_n yet_o if_o you_o attentive_o consider_v what_o i_o write_v in_o that_o short_a discourse_n wherein_o i_o manage_v but_o that_o seem_o popular_a argument_n for_o christianity_n that_o be_v draw_v from_o the_o miracle_n that_o be_v say_v to_o attest_v it_o you_o will_v perchance_o be_v invite_v to_o think_v that_o when_o all_o the_o other_o proof_n of_o it_o be_v take_v in_o a_o man_n may_v without_o renounce_v or_o affront_a his_o reason_n be_v a_o christian_n but_o to_o proceed_v to_o the_o more_o considerable_a part_n of_o what_o i_o presume_v your_o friend_n will_v object_v i_o answer_v that_o the_o consideration_n i_o have_v allege_v in_o the_o behalf_n of_o some_o mystery_n of_o the_o christian_a religion_n will_v not_o be_v equal_o applicable_a to_o the_o most_o absurd_a or_o unreasonable_a opinion_n for_o these_o consideration_n be_v offer_v as_o apology_n for_o christian_a doctrine_n but_o upon_o two_o or_o all_o of_o these_o three_o supposition_n the_o first_o that_o the_o truth_n of_o the_o main_a religion_n of_o which_o such_o doctrine_n make_v a_o part_n be_v so_o far_o positive_o prove_v by_o real_a and_o uncontrolled_a miracle_n 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the_o most_o absurd_a or_o unreasonable_a opinion_n but_o to_o any_o other_o religion_n than_o the_o true_a which_o be_v the_o christian_n so_o the_o last_o of_o these_o supposition_n prompt_v i_o to_o take_v notice_n to_o you_o that_o though_o we_o ought_v to_o be_v exceed_o wary_a how_o we_o admit_v what_o pretend_v to_o be_v supernatural_o reveal_v yet_o if_o it_o be_v attend_v with_o sufficient_a evidence_n of_o its_o be_v so_o we_o do_v very_o much_o wrong_v and_o prejudice_v ourselves_o if_o out_o of_o a_o unreasonable_a jealousy_n or_o to_o acquire_v or_o maintain_v the_o repute_n of_o be_v wise_a than_o other_o we_o shut_v our_o eye_n against_o the_o light_n it_o offer_v for_o beside_o that_o a_o man_n may_v as_o well_o err_v by_o reject_v or_o ignore_v the_o truth_n as_o by_o mistake_v a_o falsehood_n for_o it_o i_o consider_v that_o those_o man_n that_o have_v a_o
again_o to_o life_n lazarus_n and_o christ_n of_o the_o latter_a of_o which_o particular_o we_o have_v proof_n cogent_a enough_o to_o satisfy_v any_o unprejudiced_a person_n that_o desire_v but_o competent_a argument_n to_o convince_v he_o and_o that_o the_o miraculous_a power_n of_o god_n will_v be_v as_o well_o as_o his_o veracity_n be_v engage_v in_o raise_v up_o the_o dead_a and_o may_v suffice_v if_o 〈◊〉_d be_v so_o we_o may_v not_o difficult_o gather_v from_o that_o excellent_a admonition_n of_o ouâ—_n saviour_n to_o the_o sadducee_n where_o he_o tellâ—_n they_o as_o i_o elsewhere_o note_v that_o thâ—_n two_o cause_n of_o their_o error_n be_v their_o noâ—_n know_v the_o scripture_n wherein_o god_n have_v declare_v he_o will_v raise_v the_o dead_a nor_o the_o power_n of_o god_n by_o which_o he_o be_v able_a to_o effect_v it_o but_o the_o engagement_n of_o god_n omnipotence_n be_v also_o in_o that_o place_n clear_o intimate_v by_o st._n paul_n act._n 26.8_o where_o he_o ask_v king_n agrippa_n and_o his_o other_o auditor_n why_o they_o shall_v think_v it_o a_o thing_n not_o to_o be_v believe_v 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d that_o god_n shall_v raise_v the_o dead_a and_o the_o same_o truth_n be_v yet_o more_o full_o express_v by_o the_o same_o apostle_n where_o speak_v of_o christ_n return_v in_o the_o glory_n and_o power_n of_o his_o father_n to_o judge_v all_o mankind_n after_o he_o have_v say_v that_o this_o divine_a judge_n shall_v transform_v or_o transfigure_v 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d our_o vile_a body_n speak_v of_o his_o own_o and_o those_o of_o other_o saint_n to_o subjoin_v the_o account_n on_o which_o this_o shall_v be_v do_v he_o add_v that_o it_o will_v be_v according_a to_o the_o powerful_a work_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d whereby_o he_o be_v able_a even_o to_o subdue_v all_o thing_n to_o himself_o phil._n 3.21_o and_o now_o it_o will_v be_v seasonable_a to_o apply_v what_o have_v be_v deliver_v in_o the_o whole_a past_a discourse_n 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be_v preserve_v or_o retrieve_v so_o that_o strip_v they_o of_o their_o disguise_n or_o extricate_a they_o from_o other_o part_n of_o matter_n to_o which_o they_o may_v happen_v to_o be_v conjoin_v he_o may_v reunite_v they_o betwixt_o themselves_o and_o if_o need_v be_v with_o particle_n of_o matter_n fit_a to_o be_v context_v with_o they_o and_o thereby_o restore_v or_o reproduce_v a_o body_n which_o be_v unite_v with_o the_o former_a soul_n may_v in_o a_o sense_n consonant_n to_o the_o expression_n of_o scripture_n recompose_v the_o same_o man_n who_o soul_n and_o body_n be_v former_o disjoin_v by_o death_n what_o have_v be_v hitherto_o discourse_v suppose_v the_o doctrine_n of_o the_o resurrection_n to_o be_v take_v in_o a_o more_o strict_a and_o literal_a sense_n because_o i_o will_v show_v that_o even_o according_a to_o that_o the_o difficulty_n of_o answer_v what_o be_v mention_v against_o the_o possibility_n of_o it_o be_v not_o insuperable_a though_o i_o be_o not_o ignorant_a that_o it_o will_v much_o facilitate_v the_o defence_n and_o explication_n of_o so_o abstruse_a a_o thing_n if_o their_o opinion_n be_v admit_v that_o allow_v themselves_o a_o great_a latitude_n in_o expound_v the_o article_n of_o the_o resurrection_n as_o if_o the_o substance_n of_o it_o be_v that_o in_o regard_n the_o humane_a soul_n be_v the_o form_n of_o man_n so_o that_o whatever_o due_o organise_v portion_n of_o matter_n it_o be_v unite_v to_o it_o therewith_o constitute_v the_o same_o man_n the_o import_n of_o the_o resurrection_n be_v fulfil_v in_o this_o that_o after_o death_n there_o shall_v be_v another_o state_n wherein_o the_o soul_n shall_v no_o long_o persevere_v in_o its_o separate_a condition_n or_o as_o it_o be_v widowhood_n but_o shall_v be_v again_o unite_v not_o to_o a_o etherial_a or_o the_o like_a fluid_a matter_n but_o to_o such_o a_o substance_n as_o may_v with_o tolerable_a propriety_n of_o speech_n notwithstanding_o its_o difference_n from_o our_o house_n 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