A27004:999
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.
The principal Mercies and Punishments of this Life,1 are found on the Souls of men themselves. The greatest present Reward of Obedience, is when God doth more illuminate the mind, and send in more of his celestial beams, and shed abroad his Love upon the heart, and fill it with the Love of Goodness, and delight it in himself, and confirm the will against temptations: And the greatest punishment is when God in displeasure for mens disobedience, doth withdraw this grace, and leave men to themselves, that they that love not his grace should be without it, and follow their foolish self-destroying lusts.
- 1Aelian. var. hist. l. 13. saith, that Theodata a Whore told Socrates, that he could draw away none of her followers, but she could draw away his at her pleasure; and he answered, Non mirum: Tu siquidem ad declivem tramitem omnes rapis; ego vero ad virtutem cogo, ad quam arduus plerisque insolitus est ascensus.
§. 21. God cannot pardon an uncapable subject, nor any but on terms consistent with the honour of his Justice, Laws, and Government! Nor is there any that can deliver a sinner from his punishment, upon any other terms whatsoever.
§. 22. The conclusion is, that the sin and misery of Mankind in General is great and lamentable, and their recovery a work of exceeding difficulty.
§. 22. The conclusion is, that the sin and misery of Mankinde in Generall is great and lamentable, and their recovery a work of exceeding difficulty.