A27004:215
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
Part 1 › Chapter 5: What this Cause is, in it self. That it is God.
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.
1That God is thus infinitely Excellent and Good, the Goodness of his Creatures proveth: for all the goodness that is in Men and Angels, Earth and Heaven, proceedeth from him. If there be any Natural Goodness in the whole Creation, there must be more in the Creator: If there be any Moral Goodness in Men and Angels, there must be more in eminency in him: For he can make nothing better than himself, nor give to creatures what he hath not.
- 1Deus est summum Bonum, supra omnem substantiam, omnemque naturam; quod cuncta expetunt, cum ipse sit plenae perfectionis, nullius societatis indigus▪ Plato in Tim. Amor Divinus fuit causa factionis mundi, & originis omnium rerum. Id. ib Bonus quidem Deus, & quidem Deus causa bonorum: Malorum autem omnium non causa. Idem de Leg. Deus si Vim spectes, valentissimus, si decorem formosissimus, si vitam immortalis, denique si virtutem piaestantissimus est. Aristot de Mun. c. 6.
§. 19. The Goodness of the first Being consisting in this infinite Perfection or Excellency, containeth his Happiness, his Holiness, and his Love or Benignity.
§. 20. The HAPPINESS of the first Being consisteth, 1. In his BEING HIMSELF. 2. In his KNOWING HIMSELF. 3. In his LOVING and ENJOYING HIMSELF.