A27004:1177
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 4: Of the Nature and Properties of the Christian Religion.
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.
2. And there is no Religion that is fitted so much to the destruction of Worldliness, or of the love of Riches, as Christianity ⟨p. 231⟩is:1 for it teacheth men most effectually the vanity of the world; it appointeth them a holy life, so hateful to worldly men, as will occasion them to feel the vexation of the world; it openeth to them the hopes of a life so much better, as may teach them to take all the wealth and glory of this world for a shadow, a feather, or a dream. It condemneth worldly love, as the sin inconsistent with the love of God, and the certain mark of a drossy unsanctified miserable soul. It setteth before us such an example of Christ, as must needs shame worldliness with all true believers.
- 1Omnis creatura cum bona sit, & bene potest amari, & male: Benè scilicet ordine constituto; male ordine perturbato. August de Civet. Dei. Omnium malorum affectuum principium est Philautia; finis autem superbia: Philautia, amor est. quo corpus complectimur, rationi non consentaneus. Hanc qui amp taver•t, ead•m opera, omnes affectus ex ea oriente, abscidit Maxim. de Charitat.
3. And for Sensuality, it openeth the shame of its bestiality, and maketh the carnal mind and life to be enmity to God, and the contrary to that spiritual mind and life, which is the property of all that shall be saved: It strictly and vehemently condemneth all gluttony and excess of drink; all rioting and time-wasting needless sports; all fornication, and ribald talk, and wanton carriage, words or thoughts: Whereas I find among Heathens and Mahometans, that inordinate sensuality was much indulged: excess of eating and drinking was made a matter of no great blame: time-wasting Plays were as little accused, as if men had no greater matter to do in the world, than to pass away time in some sensual or fantastical delight: either by fornication, or many wives at once, their lust was gratified; and so their minds were debased, polluted, and called down and made unfit for spiritual contemplation and a holy life. From whence no doubt it came to pass, that they were so dark about things spiritual and divine, and so overspread with errors about many plain and necessary things.