A27004:1812
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.
2. Think not that Christianity doth teach men, that all those who were not of the Jewish Nation or Church then, or that are not now of the Christian Church, were so cast off and forsaken by God as the Devils are, to be left as utterly hopeless or remediless: nor that they were upon no other terms for salvation, than man in innocency was under; which was [Obey perfectly and live; or if thou sin, thou shalt die]: For this had been to leave them as hopeless as the Devils, when once they had sinned.
3. And think not that Christ can show no mercy, nor do any thing towards the salvation of a sinner, before he is known himself to the sinner; especially before he is known as an incarnate Mediator, or one that is to be incarnate. He struck down Paul, and spake to him from Heaven, before Paul knew him: He sent Philip to the Eunuch, before he knew him, and Peter to Cornelius, and sendeth the Gospel to Heathen Nations, before they know him. If the Apostles themselves, even after that they had lived long with Christ, and heard his preaching, and seen his Miracles, yea and preached and wrought Miracles themselves, did not yet understand that he must suffer, and die, and rise again, and send down the Spirit, &c. you may conjecture by this what the common Faith of those before Christs coming was, who were saved.
3. And think not that Christ can shew no mercy, nor do any thing towards the salvation of a sinner, before he is known himself to the sinner; especially before he is known as an incarnate Mediator, or one that is to be incarnate. He struck down Paul, and spake to him from Heaven, before Paul knew him: He sent Philip to the Eunuch, before he knew him, and Peter to Cornelius, and sendeth the Gospel to Heathen Nations, before they know him. If the Apostles themselves, even after that they had lived long with Christ, and heard his preaching, and seen his Miracles, yea and preached and wrought Miracles themselves, did not yet understand that he must suffer, and die, and rise again, and send down the Spirit, &c. you may conjecture by this what the common Faith of those before Christs coming was, who were saved.