A27004:1150
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 3: Of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION: and First, What it is.
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.
§. 14. The sum of the Doctrine of Christianity is contained in these Articles following, consisting of three general Heads: I. Things to be known and believed. II. Things to be willed, and desired, and hoped. III. Things to be done.
§. 14. The summ of the Doctrine of Christianity is contained in these Articles following, consisting of three general Heads: I. Things to be known and believed. II. Things to be willed, and desired, and hoped. III. Things to be done.
1I. 1. There is one only GOD in Essence, in Three Essential Principles, POWER, UNDERSTANDING and WILL; or OMNIPOTENCY, OMNISCIENCE and GOODNESS; in Three Subsistences or Persons, the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT, who is a Mind or Spirit, and therefore is most Simple, Incorruptible, Immortal, Impassionate, Invisible, Intactible, &c. and is Indivisible, Eternal, Immense, Necessary, Independent, Self-sufficient, Immutable, Absolute and Infinite in all Perfections: The Principal Efficient, Dirigent and Final Cause of all the world: The CREATOR of all, and therefore our Absolute OWNER,2 or Supreme RULER, and our Total BENEFACTOR, and CHIEF GOOD and END. 2. GOD made Man for himself; not to supply any want of his own, but for the pleasing of his own Will and Love, in the Glory of his Perfections shining forth in his works: In his own Image; that is, with Vital Power, Understanding and Free-will, Able, Wise and Good; with Dominion over the Inferior Creatures, as being in subordination to God their OWNER, their GOVERNOR and their BENEFACTOR and END. And he bound him by the Law of his Nature to adhere to GOD his MAKER; by Resignation, Devotion and Submission to him as his OWNER, by Believing, Honouring and Obeying him as his RULER; and by Loving him, Trusting and Seeking him, Delighting in him, Thanksgiving to him, and Praising him, as his Grand BENEFACTOR, chief Good, and ⟨p. 221⟩ultimate end, to exercise Charity and Justice to each other; and to Govern all his inferior faculties by Reason according to his Makers will, that he so might please him, and be Happy in his Love: And, to try him, he particularly forbade him to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death. 3.