A27004:777
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 14: That there is a Life of Retribution after this.
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.
The Major is proved before: However it would be best in point of Honesty, it would be worst to thousands in point of personal Utility. Even to all those that forsaking all the sinful pleasures of this World, do conflict with their flesh, and keep it under, and suffer the loss of all outward comforts by the cruelty of Persecutors, and it may be through melancholy or weak fears, have little comfort from God instead of them; and at last perhaps be tormented and put to death by cruelty. Few will think this desirable for it self.
The Major is proved before: However it would be best in point of Honesty, it would be worst to thousands in point of personal Ʋtility. Even to all those that forsaking all the sinfull pleasures of this World, do conflict with their flesh, and keep it under, and suffer the loss of all outward comforts by the cruelty of Persecutors, and it may be through melancholy or weak fears, have little comfort from God instead of them; and at last perhaps be tormented and put to death by cruelty. Few will think this desirable for it self.
And that our Obedience to God shall not be mens final loss and ruin, needeth no proof but this; that he hath made our self-love a Principle inseparable from our nature, and maketh use of it in the Government of the World; and ⟨p. 137⟩commandeth nothing but what is finally for our good;1 and so conjoineth the pleasing of him and our own felicity inseparably in our end: His Regiment is paternal, His Glory which he seeketh by us, is the Glory of his Goodness communicated and accumulated on us. This taken in with the Wisdom and Goodness of his Nature, will tell any man, that to be a loser finally by our Obedience to God, is a thing that no man need to fear: He doth not serve himself upon us to our hurt; nor command us that which will undo us. He neither wanteth Power, Wisdom, nor Goodness, to make us gainers by our duty. It is the desire of natural Justice in all, ut bonis bene sit, & malis male: If I find but any duty commanded me by God, my Conscience and my sense of the Divine perfections, will not give me leave to think that I shall ever prove finally a loser by performing it,