A27004:1462
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.
Answ. No: 1. Because it is a negative which they were for: and many witnesses to a negative, is not so good as a few to an affirmative. 2. Most of them were kept from the very hearing of the Apostles, which should inform them and excite them. 3. Most men every where follow their Rulers, and look to their worldly interest, and never much mind or discuss such matters, as tend to their salvation, especially by the way of suffering and disgrace. 4. We believe not that the unbelieving party did deny Christ's miracles, but fathered them upon the devil; therefore even their testimony is for Christ: only they hired the Soldiers to say, that Christ was stolen out of the Sepulchre while they slept, of which they never brought any proof, nor could possibly do it, (if asleep.)
Answ. No: 1. Because it is a negative which they were for: and many witnesses to a negative, is not so good as a few to an affirmative. 2. Most of them were kept from the very hearing of the Apostles, which should inform them and excite them. 3. Most men every where follow their Rulers, and look to their worldly interest, and never much mind or discuss such matters, as tend to their salvation, especially by the way of suffering and disgrace. 4. We believe not that the unbelieving party did deny Christ's miracles, but fathered them upon the devil; therefore even their testimony is for Christ: only they hired the Souldiers to say, that Christ was stoln out of the Sepulchre while they slept, of which they never brought any proof, nor could possibly do it, (if asleep.)
§. 29. III. I have proved Christ's Miracles to be, 1. Credible, by the highest humane faith. 2. Certain, by natural evidence, there being a natural impossibility that the testimonies should be false. 3. I am next to prove that they are certain by supernatural evidence, (which is the same with natural evidence, as in the effect, but is called supernatural from the way of causing it.)