A26951:445
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…
The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb. 11, 1, formerly preached before His Majesty, and published by his command, with another added for the fuller application : the second is instructions for confirming believers in the Christian faith : the third is directions how to live by faith, or how to exercise it upon all occasions / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1670
Part 2 › Chapter 7: The means of making known all this infallibly to us.
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.
18. And the histories of the Heathens and enemies of the Church, do also declare how long Christianity continued, and what they were, and what they suffered who were called Christians; such as Plinies, Celsus, Porphyry, Plotinus, Lucian, Su• tonius, and others.
19. And the constant instruction of Children by their Parents, which is Family-tradition, hath been a very great means also of this commemoration. For it cannot be (though some be negligent) but that multitudes in all times would teach their children, what the Christian Religion was, as to its doctrine and its history. And the practice of catechizing, and teaching children the Creed, the Lords Prayer, and the Decalogue, and the Scriptures, the more secured this tradition in families.
20. Lastly, A succession of the same Spirit, which was in the Apostles, and of much of the same works, which were done by them, was such a way of assuring us of the truth of their doctrine and history, as a succession of posterity telleth us, that our progenitors were men. The same spirit of Wisdom and Goodness in a great degree continued after them to this day. And all wrought by their doctrine: and very credible history assureth us, that many miracles also were done, in many ages after them; though not so many as by them: Eusebius, Cyprian, Augustine, Victor, Ulicensis, Sulpitius, Severus, and many others, show us so much as may make the belief of the Apostles the more easy.
20. Lastly, A succession of the same Spirit, which was in the Apostles, and of much of the same works, which were done by them, was such a way of assuring us of the truth of their doctrine and history, as a succession of posterity teleth us, that our progenitors were men. The same spirit of Wisdom and Goodness in a great degree continued after them to this day. And all wrought by their doctrine: and very credible history assureth us, that many miracles also were done, in many ages after them; though not so many as by them: Eusebius, Cyprian, Augustine, Victor, Ʋlicensis, Sulpitius, Severus, and many others, shew us so much as may make the belief of the Apostles the more easie.