A26888:450
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
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.
3. And it is far greater things than Visible Appearances, that we constantly receive from Angels, more suitable to their Nature and Dignity, and to our good. Some Men have long Laboured to attain a Visible or Sensible Communion with them, and think they have attained it: But while they presumptuously desire to pervert the Order of Gods Household and Government, it is no wonder if in stead of Angels, they Converse with Devils that are Transformed into seeming Angels of Light, that by Delusion, they may Transform such Men into Ministers of Righteousness.
3. And it is far greater things than Visible Appearances, that we constantly receive from Angels, more sutable to their Nature and Dignity, and to our good. Some Men have long Laboured to attain a Visible or Sensible Communion with them, and think they have attained it: But while they presumptuously desire to pervert the Order of Gods Houshold and Government, it is no wonder if in stead of Angels, they Converse with Devils that are Transformed into seeming Angels of Light, that by Delusion, they may Transform such Men into Ministers of Righteousness.
It is a doleful Instance, of the effect of a perverse kind of opposition to Popery, and running from one Extreme to another, to note how little Sense most Protestants show ⟨p. 223⟩of the great Benefits that we receive by Angels: How seldom we hear them in public or private, give thanks to God for their Ministry and Helps? And more seldom pray for it? When hear we any Ministers Teach Believers, what Love and what Thanks they owe to Angels, whereas the Excellency and Holiness of their Natures obligeth us to love them, and their Love and Care of us, bespeaketh Thankfulness: Yea, we have Teachers that would persuade Men that this Savoureth of Popery, and doth Derogate from Christ: And yet if the People Love and Honour and maintain them, they take this to be no Derogation from Christ. As if they were more Amiable then Angels, or Christ may not use the Ministry of Angels as well as their's. The Lord pity the distracted divided Societies of Christians, who in all Countries are fallen into Uncharitable Sects, that on pretence of saving the Truth, and the Church from the Errors of each other, do corrupt both by the Addition of contrary Errors; so that it's hard to find out many Errors of Popery or Ancient Heresy; which hath not been avoided by contrary faults, in the Corruption of Doctrine, Charity or Concord.