A26888:369
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls…
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadducees and infidels, by Richard Baxter.The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1691
Treatise › Chapter 10: Other Strange Providences observable.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Only I will premise this Caution to the Reader. 1. That it is no certain sign of the Innocency or Sanctity of the Person delivered, that it was done by a wonderful manner upon Prayer. Nay, it is not unusual, for the Guilt of some great Sin, to bring the Suffering, from which by Prayer they are delivered; and God may hear others, for the deliverance of such Sinners.
2. Nor is it any certain sign of the Sanctity of those whose Prayers are so heard, (though it be a very encouraging Mercy to them,) any more than Prophesying, and Casting out Devils, and doing wonderful Works in the Name of Christ, Mat. 7. was a Proof that the Agents were not rejected Workers of Iniquity. It is the Honour of God, and the Regard which he hath to the Faith and Prayers of the Distressed, or others, and of the Souls that he would convince; ⟨p. 187⟩which these, and such like Instances do declare.
3. And I will omit many Instances of Persons recovered from the Jaws of Death, just at the Hour while we have been praying for them; for, though this be much to me, it will not be so to the Unbeliever, who will say, that it was not from that Cause, but would have been if you had not prayed. And I must confess that I have prayed for the Life of many a dear Friend, whom God hath not recovered, but taken away.