A27004:1101
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
Part 2 › Chapter 2: Of the several Religions which are in the world.
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.
§. 4. And I find that the Idolatry of the wisest of them was not so foolish as that of the Vulgar; but they thought that the Universe was one animated world, and that the Universal Soul was the only Absolute Sovereign God, whom they described much like as Christians do: and that the Sun, and Stars, and Earth, and each particular Orb, was an individual Animal, part of the Universal world, and besides the Universal, had each one a subordinate particular Soul, which they worshipped as a subordinate particular Deity, as some Christians do the Angels. And their Images they set up for such representations, by which they thought these gods delighted to be remembered, and instrumentally to exercise their virtues for the help of earthly mortals.
§. 4. And I find that the Idolatry of the wisest of them was not so foolish as that of the Vulgar; but they thought that the Ʋniverse was one animated world, and that the Ʋniversal Soul was the only Absolute Sovereign God, whom they described much like as Christians do: and that the Sun, and Stars, and Earth, and each particular Orb, was an individual Animal, part of the Ʋniversal world, and besides the Ʋniversal, had each one a subordinate particular Soul, which they worshipped as a subordinate particular Deity, as some Christians do the Angels. And their Images they set up for such representations, by which they thought these gods delighted to be remembred, and instrumentally to exercise their virtues for the help of earthly mortals.
§. 5. I find that except these Philosophers, and very few more, the generality of the Heathens were and are foolish Idolaters, and ignorant, sensual brutish men.
At this day through the world, they are that sort of men ⟨p. 200⟩that are likest unto Beasts,