A27004:236
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.
For when no Means is a Means, nor hath being, aptitude,1 force or efficacy, but from himself, he only communicateth praise to his creatures, when he thus useth them, but giveth not away the least degree of his own interest and honour: for the creature is nothing, hath nothing, and can do nothing but by him: It useth no strength, or skill, or bounty, but what it first received from him; therefore to use such means can be no dishonour to him, unless it be a dishonour to be a communicative Good. As it is no dishonour to a Watch-maker to make that Engine, which showeth his skill, instead of performing all the motions without that little frame of means: But yet no similitude will reach the case, because all creatures themselves are but the continued productions of the Creator's will; and the virtue which they put forth, is ⟨p. 30⟩nothing but what God putteth into them. And he is as near to the effect, when he worketh by means, as when without.
For when no Means is a Means, nor hath being, aptitude,1 force or efficacy, but from himself, he onely communicateth praise to his creatures, when he thus useth them, but giveth not away the least degree of his own interest and honour: for the creature is nothing, hath nothing, and can do nothing but by him: It useth no strength, or skill, or bounty, but what it first received from him; therefore to use such means can be no dishonour to him, unless it be a dishonour to be a communicative Good. As it is no dishonour to a Watch-maker to make that Engine, which sheweth his skill, instead of performing all the motions without that little frame of means: But yet no similitude will reach the case, because all creatures themselves are but the continued productions of the Creator's will; and the virtue which they put forth, is ⟨p. 30⟩nothing but what God putteth into them. And he is as neer to the effect, when he worketh by means, as when without.
- 1See Theophil. Antioch. ad Autol. l. 1. p▪ in B. p. 128. showing that by Gods Voice speaking to Adam is meant his Son.