A27004:1063
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…
The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural evidence the being of God ... : the second part, of Christianity, proving by evidence supernatural and natural, the certain truth of the Christian belief ... / by Richard Baxter ... ; also an appendix defending the soul's immortality against the Somatists or Epicureans and other pseudo-philosophers.
London: printed by R. White for Fran. Titon, 1667
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. Thence it must needs follow, 1that it will be but few that will attain to understand the necessary parts of the Law of Nature aright, by that means alone; and the multitude will be lest in darkness still.
- 1What difficulties the wisest Heathens find about God's prospering the wicked, and afflicting the good. And how dark were they about the life to come? Therefore Seneca's wise and good man was a Phoenix. Sine doctrina siquid been dicitur, adjuvante naturâ, tamen id quia fortuito fit, semper paratum esse non potest. Cic. de Or. Etsi ingeniis magnis praediti quidam, dicendi copiam sine ratione consequuntur. ars tamen dux certior est quàm natura. Aliud enim est poetarum more verba fundere, aliud, ea quae dicas ratione & arte distinguere. Cic. de sin. 4.What difficulties the wisest Heathens find about God's prospering the wicked, and afflicting the good. And how dark were they about the life to come? Therefore Seneca's wise and good man was a Phoenix. Sine doctrina siquid bene dicitur, adjuvante naturâ, tamen id quia fortuito fit, semper paratum esse non potest. Cic. de Or. Etsi ingeniis magnis praediti quidam, dicendi copiam sine ratione consequuntur. ars tamen dux certior est quàm natura. Aliud enim est poetarum more verba fundere, aliud, ea quae dicas ratione & arte distinguere. Cic. de sin. 4.
The common people have not leisure for so deep and long a search into nature, as a few Philosophers made; nor are they disposed to it. And though reason obligeth them, in so necessary a case, to break through all difficulties, they have not so full use of their reason as to do it.
Obj. But as Christian Teachers do instruct the people in that which they cannot have leisure to search out themselves; so why may not Philosophers, who have leisure for the search, ins;truct the people quickly, who have not leisure to find out the truth without instruction.