A27004:1075
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.
§. 6. That which would be sufficient for a sound understanding and will, is not sufficient to a darkened diseased mind and heart, such as experience telleth us is found throughout the world.
§. 6. That which would be sufficient for a sound understanding and will, is not sufficient to a darkned diseased mind and heart, such as experience telleth us is found throughout the world.
To true reason which is at liberty, and not enthralled by sensuality and error, the light of nature might have a sufficiency to lead men up to the love of God, and a life of holiness: But experience telleth us, that the reason of the world is darkened, and captivated by sensuality, and that few men can well use their own faculties. And such eyes need spectacles, such cripples need crutches; yea, such diseases call for a Physician. Prove once that the world is not diseased, and then we will confess that their natural food may serve the turn, without any other diet or Physic.
To true reason which is at liberty, and not enthralled by sensuality and error, the light of nature might have a sufficiency to lead men up to the love of God, and a life of holiness: But experience telleth us, that the reason of the world is darkned, and captivated by sensuality, and that few men can well use their own faculties. And such eyes need spectacles, such criples need crutches; yea, such diseases call for a Physician. Prove once that the world is not diseased, and then we will confess that their natural food may serve the turn, without any other diet or Physick.
§. 7. When I have by natural Reason silenced all my doubts about the Life to come, I yet find in my self an uncouth unsatisfactory kind of apprehension of my future state, till I look to supernatural evidence: which I perceive is from a double cause. 1. Because a Soul in flesh, would fain have such apprehension as participateth of sense. 2. And we are so conscious of our ignorance, that we are apt still to suspect our own understandings, even when we have nothing to say against the conclusion.