A26935:29
Gods goodness vindicated for the help of such (especially in melancholy) as are tempted…
Gods goodness vindicated for the help of such (especially in melancholy) as are tempted to deny it, and think him cruel, because of the present and future misery of mankind, with respect to the doctrine of reprobation and damnation / by Richard Baxter ... ; published and prefaced by a friend at whose desire it was written, and to whom it was committed.
London: printed for N. Simmons, 1671
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.
Quest. 15. Have you so good acquaintance with the extent of the universe, the superior World ▪ the number of Angels and blessed spirits, as that you are sure that it is proportionably more in the ⟨p. 30⟩whole universe, that are miserable? Though some peevish men have wrangled at what I have said of this in my forecited Books, I am so far from flattering their self conceited Wisdom that I will say it over again, That it is agreed on by Philosophers that the Earth as to the universe, is no bigger than a point or inch is to the whole earth; we see over our heads, a wonderful Sun, a multitude of fixed and unfixed Stars, of wonderful magnitude, divers of them many times bigger than all the earth; besides the vast Ethereal interspaces; we see in a Tube ⟨p. 31⟩or Telescope a marvellous Likeness of the Moon to this Earth, with Shades, inequalities, &c. Multitudes of Stars in the Galaxy and elsewhere, are discernible in the Telescope, which without it no eye can see; Little know we how far the World extendeth it self, beyond all these Stars and Sun which we can see: or whether there be Millions of the like beyond our sight: The Scripture telleth us of innumerable Angels, Holy and Glorious spirits that attend Christ in the service of this lower World. No Scripture telleth us whether all the Glorious ⟨p. 32⟩or blessed Spirits be thus employed as Angels for Mankind, or whether ten Thousand Thousand fold more be otherwise employed. No Scripture or Reason telleth us whether Sun or Moon, Stars and intermediate Aether, be inhabited or not? It is temerity to affirm that they are. And it is as great temerity to say that they are not: It is lawful to doubt: And it is lawful to conjecture that it is most probable they are, Considering, 1. That l•fe is the excellency of the Creation, and the deadest parts are the basest, 2. That the Earth, and Water, ⟨p. 33⟩and Air are full of Men, Beasts, Fishes, Birds, Worms, Flies, &c. 3. That it is incredible to him that looketh upward, that Sun, Moon, Stars and Aether, are baser Regions than this dirty Earth; and consequently that they are baser as to their use and inhabitants: These thoughts of an uncertain thing, are lawful, to him that will go no further than he hath evidence, and not make an uncertain thing seem certain; And certain it is, that spirits are innumerable. And though some of these are fallen to be Devils, God hath not told us how many: