A27004:815
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.
§. 18. XVIII. If in this life God have little of the praise and glory of his works, from those whom he created for it, but contrarily be much dishonoured by them; then there is another life in which he will be more honoured by them: But the antecedent is true: Ergo, so is the consequent.
What a glorious fabric hath God set man to contemplate? and how little of it is here known? so that Philosophy is found to be but a searching and wrangling about things which no man reacheth; and yet an inquisitive desire we have. And therefore sure there is a state in which these works of God shall be better known of us, and God shall have the honour of them more than now. His Laws also prescribe us excellent duties, and his Servants are very excellent persons, according to his own description: But our infirmities, our errors, or divisions, our miscarriages and scandals do so dishonour him and his ways, that the glory of them is much obscured, and blasphemers reproach him to his face, and Godliness (which the Law of Nature teacheth) is derided as a foolish thing, and as the mere effect of superstitious fear. Now though all this doth no hurt to God, yet he is capable of wrong who is uncapable of hurt. And it is not to be believed, that he will finally put up all this at his creatures hands, and never vindicate his honour, not never more show the glory of his Grace, his Image, his Justice and Judgments, than he now doth.
What a glorious fabrick hath God set man to contemplate? and how little of it is here known? so that Philosophy is found to be but a searching and wrangling about things which no man reacheth; and yet an inquisitive desire we have. And therefore sure there is a state in which these works of God shall be better known of us, and God shall have the honour of them more than now. His Laws also prescribe us excellent duties, and his Servants are very excellent persons, according to his own description: But our infirmities, our errors, or divisions, our miscarriages and scandals do so dishonour him and his ways, that the glory of them is much obscured, and blasphemers reproach him to his face, and Godliness (which the Law of Nature teacheth) is derided as a foolish thing, and as the meer effect of superstitious fear. Now though all this doth no hurt to God, yet he is capable of wrong who is uncapable of hurt. And it is not to be believed, that he will finally put up all this at his creatures hands, and never vindicate his honour, not never more shew the glory of his Grace, his Image, his Justice and Judgments, than he now doth.