A27004:1309
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. And it is not credible that it was taken up erroneously by all the world, as their vices or superstitions are: for though it is past question that error hath caused the abuse of it through the world, yet for the thing it self there is no probability of such an original. For what can we imagine should induce men to it, and make all Nations (how various soever their Idols are) to agree in this way of worshipping and propitiating them? There is nothing of sensuality in it, that by gratifying a lust of the flesh, might have such an universal effect? And it must be some universal Light, or some universal Lust or Interest, that must cause such an universal concord. Nay, on the contrary you shall find that Tradition, and the custom of their Fore-fathers, is the common argument pleaded for sacrificing through all the world, even in the Ancients Historical reports of it.
3. And it is not credible that it was taken up erroneously by all the world, as their vices or superstitions are: for though it is past question that error hath caused the abuse of it through the world, yet for the thing it self there is no probability of such an original. For what can we imagin should induce men to it, and make all Nations (how various soever their Idols are) to agree in this way of worshipping and propitiating them? There is nothing of sensuality in it, that by gratifying a lust of the flesh, might have such an universal effect? And it must be some universal Light, or some universal Lust or Interest, that must cause such an universal concord. Nay, on the contrary you shall find that Tradition, and the custom of their Fore-fathers, is the common argument pleaded for sacrificing through all the world, even in the Ancients Historical reports of it.
4. Therefore it remaineth, very probable at least, that they received it indeed by tradition from their fore-fathers: and that could be from none originally but the universal progenitor of mankind, who was capable of conveying it to all his posterity, (for no History mentioneth any later original nor could any later than Adam or Noah have made it so universal.) And no man can imagine why God should institute it, if it were not to intimate the translating of our punishment into our Redeemer, and to point us to the great Sacrifice