A27004:1815
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.
5. And think not that all the mercies which Pagan Nations ⟨p. 400⟩have from God, are no acts of Grace, nor have any tendency to their conversion and salvation. Doubtless, it is the same Redeemer, even the eternal Wisdom and Word of God, who before his Incarnation gave greater mercy to the Jews, 1and lesser to the Gentiles: He doth by these mercies oblige or lead men to Repentance and Gratitude, and reveal God as merciful and ready to forgive all capable sinners: As even under the Law, Exod▪ 34. he revealed himself fuller to Moses, [The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, &c.] though he will by no means (no not by Christ) clear the guilty, that is, either say to the wicked, thou art just, or pardon any uncapable subject. Doubtless, mercy bindeth Heathens to know God as merciful, and to love him, and to improve that mercy to their attainment of more, and to seek after further knowledge, and to be better than they are; and they are set under a certain course of Means, and appointed Duty, in order to their recovery and salvation: Else it might be said, that they have nothing to do for their own recovery, and consequently sin not by omitting it. By all this you may perceive, that Christ did much by Mercies and Teaching before his Incarnation, and since for all the World, which hath a tendency to their conversion, recovery and salvation.
5. And think not that all the mercies which Pagan Nations ⟨p. 400⟩have from God, are no acts of Grace, nor have any tendency to their conversion and salvation. Doubtless, it is the same Redeemer, even the eternal Wisdom and Word of God, who before his Incarnation gave greater mercy to the Jews, 1and lesser to the Gentiles: He doth by these mercies oblige or lead men to Repentance and Gratitude, and reveal God as mercifull and ready to forgive all capable sinners: As even under the Law, Exod▪ 34. he revealed himself fullyer to Moses, [The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, &c.] though he will by no means (no not by Christ) clear the guilty, that is, either say to the wicked, thou art just, or pardon any uncapable subject. Doubtless, mercy bindeth Heathens to know God as mercifull, and to love him, and to improve that mercy to their attainment of more, and to seek after further knowledge, and to be better than they are; and they are set under a certain course of Means, and appointed Duty, in order to their recovery and salvation: Else it might be said, that they have nothing to do for their own recovery, and consequently sin not by omitting it. By all this you may perceive, that Christ did much by Mercies and Teaching before his Incarnation, and since for all the World, which hath a tendency to their conversion, recovery and salvation.