A27004:1669
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.
CHAP. IX. Yet Faith hath many Difficulties to overcome: What they are; and what their Causes.
There are two sorts of persons who may possibly peruse these things, and are of tempers so contrary, 1that what helpeth one may hurt the other: The first are those who see so many objections and difficulties, that they are turned from the due apprehension of the Evidences of Christianity, and can think of nothing but stumbling-blocks to their Faith. To tell these men of more difficulties, may add to their discouragement, and do them hurt: And yet I am not of their mind that think they should be therefore silenced: For that may tempt them to imagine them unanswerable, if they come into their minds: The better way for these men is, to desire them better to study the Evidence of truth: And there are other men, who must be thought on, who seeing no difficulties in the work of Faith, do continue unfortified against them, and keep up a Belief by mere extrinsic helps and advantages, which will fall as soon as the storms assault it: And because no doubt is well overcome that is not known, and Nil tam certum quàm quod ex dubio certum est, I will venture to open the Difficulties of Believing.
THere are two sorts of persons who may possibly peruse these things, and are of tempers so contrary, 1that what helpeth one may hurt the other: The first are those who see so many objections and difficulties, that they are turned from the due apprehension of the Evidences of Christianity, and can think of nothing but stumbling-blocks to their Faith. To tell these men of more difficulties, may adde to their discouragement, and do them hurt: And yet I am not of their minde that think they should be therefore silenced: For that may tempt them to imagine them unanswerable, if they come into their mindes: The better way for these men is, to desire them better to study the Evidence of truth: And there are other men, who must be thought on, who seeing no difficulties in the work of Faith, do continue unfortified against them, and keep up a Belief by meer extrinsick helps and advantages, which will fall as soon as the storms assault it: And because no doubt is well overcome that is not known, and Nil tam certum quàm quod ex dubio certum est, I will venture to open the Difficulties of Believing.