A27004:1335
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.
And that miracles, and such miracles as these, are a certain proof of the truth of Christ and Christianity, is most evident; in that they are the attestation of God himself.
1. It is undeniable, that they are the effects of Gods own Power: If any question, whether God do them immediately, ⟨p. 279⟩or whether an Angel or Spirit may not do them, that makes no difference in the case considerable: for all creatures are absolutely dependant upon God, and can use no power but what he giveth them, and continueth in them, and exerciseth by them: the power of the creatures is all of it the power of God: without him they are nothing, and can do nothing: and God is as near to the effect himself, when he useth an instrument, as when he useth none. So that undoubtedly it is God's work.
1. It is undenyable, that they are the effects of Gods own Power: If any question, whether God do them immediately, ⟨p. 279⟩or whether an Angel or Spirit may not do them, that makes no difference in the case considerable: for all creatures are absolutely dependant upon God, and can use no power but what he giveth them, and continueth in them, and exerciseth by them: the power of the creatures is all of it the power of God: without him they are nothing, and can do nothing: and God is as near to the effect himself, when he useth an instrument, as when he useth none. So that undoubtedly it is God's work.
2. And God having no voice, but created, revealeth his mind to man by his operations: and as he cannot lie, so his infinite wisdom and goodness will not give up the world to such unavoidable deceit, as such a multitude of miracles would lead them into, if they were used to attest a lie. If I cannot know him to be sent of God, who raiseth the dead, and showeth me such a Seal of Omnipotency to his Commission, I have no possibility of knowing who speaketh from God at all, nor of escaping deceit in the greatest matters; of which God by his Omnipotent Arm would be the cause. But none of this can stand with the Nature and righteous Government of God. This therefore is an infallible proof of the Veracity of Christ and his Apostles: and the truth of the History of these Miracles shall be further opened anon.