3, it seems to be inferred from prophecy.

But let us turn to the original Eleven, who were eye and ear witnesses of Jesus, and consider on what grounds they can have believed (if we assume that they did all believe) the absolute moral perfection of Jesus.

It is too ridiculous to imagine then studying the writings of Matthew in order to obtain conviction,--if any of that school, whom alone I now address, could admit that written documents were thought of before the Church outstept the limits of Judea.

If the Eleven believed the doctrine for some transcendental reason,--as by a Supernatural Revelation, or on account of Prophecy, and to complete the Messiah's character,--then their attestation is useless to my friend's argument: will it then gain anything, if we suppose that they _believed_ Jesus to be perfect, because they _saw_ him to be perfect?
To me this would seem no attestation worth having, but rather a piece of impertinent ignorance.

If I attest that a person whom I have known was an eminently good man, I command a certain amount of respect to my opinion, and I do him honour.