A27004:657
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.
Nothing is easilier confessed by all, than the desirableness of Delight and Pleasure: and the most excellent object, which most be most beloved, must be our chief delight: for Love it self is a delighting act, unless some stop do turn it aside into fears and sorrows. Nothing can it self be so delectable as God, the chiefest Good; and no employment so delectable as loving him. This therefore should be our work and our recreation, ⟨p. 111⟩our labour and our pleasure, our food and feast. Other delights are lawful and good, so far as they further these delights of holy love, by carrying up our hearts to the original and end of all our mercies and delights. But nothing is so injurious to God and us as that which corrupteth our minds with sensuality, and becometh our Pleasure instead of God.
§. 42. The sense of the present imperfection of our Love should make us long to know God more, and to love him and delight in him, and praise him in perfection to the utmost extent of our capacities.
If it be so good to love God, then must the highest degree of it be best: and reason teacheth us,1 when we feel how weak our Knowledge and Love is, to long for more; yea, for perfection.
- 1Read Seneca, de vita beata, fully proving against the Epicureans, that wealth, honour and pleasure are not mans felicity, because they make him not better or best.Read Seneca, de vita beata, fully proving against the Ep•cureans, that wealth, honour and pleasure are not mans felicity, because they make him not better or best.