A26960:80
More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second…
More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second appendix to the Reasons of the Christian religion being I. an answer to a letter from an unknown person charging the Holy Scriptures with contradictions, II. some animadversions on a tractate De Veritate, written by ... Edward Herbert, Baron of Cherbury ... / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for Nevil Simmons, 1672
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
By all this it is evident, that the Spirit was given them to enable them to understand the Gospel, and to preach it to the world; to remember all that Christ had taught them: to help them to deliver the Covenant of Grace, and draw men into it, and Baptize them; To gather Churches, and to teach them to observe all that Christ had commanded them, and made part of his Laws. To teach them all truth which was Evangelical or part of their Ministerial Office. To enable them to be most certain and full in their Testimony of what they had heard from ⟨p. 38⟩Christ, and seen him do, which was part of the Gospel. In a word to to perform all their proper Office.
I do not at the present suppose you to take these Texts for the word of God: For I must suppose you to be an Infidel: But I only offer them as part of the certain historical evidence, concurring with all the forementioned history and evidence of the fact, to prove what it was which the Apostles miracles were used to confirm. This same Gospel they preached every where, when they wrought these miracles. And if they confirmed not the Gospel, or Christian Religion, they confirmed nothing. So that it being certain that this Spirit and Miracles were real, and certain that they were the Testimony of God, and certain that it was the Truth of Christs person, actions, doctrine, sufferings, resurrection, ascension, and Covenant and Commandments, which they attested, and all that is properly the Gospel or Christian Religion, what hindereth our certainty of all this. If it were a doubt whether the Spirit attested more, it is never the more doubtful, whether he ⟨p. 39⟩attested this much. The Apostles constantly preached this Gospel; They Baptized persons into the New Covenant; They opened the Articles of the Faith to them, and caused them to profess that Faith; They engaged them into the promise, and directed them in the practice of a godly, righteous and sober life: And they confirmed all this by miracles. And is not all this then made sure? (Yea, before they wrote any of the Scriptures:)