"Quisquam vitam suam contempsit, tuæ dominum est. Recognosce exemplum eorum qui domesticis insidiis perierunt, aut aperta vi, aut dolo; et intelliges non pauciores servorum ira cecidisse, quam regum.' (Ad Lucil., Epist. iv.) And yet, then there were common apprehensions of a life to come, and a belief of different estates there of the good and bad; so that we cannot say that the order which was maintained among them was without the special help of this belief: and this being still acknowledged in all, or almost all, the nations on earth to this day, is the chief means of that little order and restraint of sin that is found among even idolaters and pagans. This I am ready more fully to vindicate.

DETERMINATION

OF

THIS QUESTION,

WHETHER THE MIRACULOUS WORKs of CHRIST AND HIS DISCIPLES DO OBLIGE THOSE to believe, WHO NEVER SAW THEM?

"Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."-John xx. 29.

TO THE READER.

READER,

HAVING put the foregoing papers to the press, I thought it not unmeet to adjoin these here following, as being on the same subject, and to the same purpose. It was but the hasty determination of a question, in one of our usual monthly disputations, which are maintained by the ininisters of this association, for our mutual edification. It was a more private conference with some miserable men, who maintained the negative, which occasioned the choice of this question, as being the matter then freshest in my mind, and heaviest upon my heart, because of the misery of such apostates, and the danger that I perceived some to be in, through their subtlety and industry. By experience of them, I am caused to expect, that the apostatised should prove hardened; and that many who profess themselves their greatest adversaries, should still contribute to their hardening, by refusing to defend their own religion, and backbiting and reproaching those that do it. If the Lord will bless these weak endeavours for the confirmation of thy faith, the repelling of temptations, and the preventing of thy ruin by thy great sin of unbelief, the quarrels of adversaries, and offended friends, will be the easier borne, by

Thy well-willer,

RICHARD BAXTER.

A DETERMINATION, &c.

QUESTION.

Whether the miraculous works of Christ and his disciples do oblige those to believe, who never saw them?

THE necessity is manifold and evident of discussing and right determining this weighty question. 1. For the soundness and stability of our own belief of the christian verity; and consequently for our salvation. 2. For the avoiding the great sin against the Holy Ghost. 3. For the confutation of all infidels, and in particular those apostates in England, who go under the name of sceptics, or seekers. Sad experience acquainteth us, that some such men there are, who being fallen from Christianity, and in their hearts disowning Christ and the Gospel, and being loth openly to defy, deride, or blaspheme him, because it would mar their reputation with men, do, therefore, first and openly deny only, that there is any present church, or Gospel ministry: forsooth, all is lost in the antichristian faction. They know how easy it will be to prove that there is no head, if they can once prove that there is no body; and how soon they might make Christ appear to the world more contemptible than Mahomet, if they could persuade men that he had never any church, but only in one age of the world, and that confined to so narrow a compass: for they say, he had no church before his incarnation, because the mystery was hid till then; and he had none when iniracles ceased, nor where they were not because Christ said, "If I had not done the works that no man else could do, ye had no sin: and these signs shall follow them that believe in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues," &c. (Mark xvi.) Hereupon they maintain, that miracles being ceased, there are now neither churches, Christians, ministers, or Scripture, known to them and that the world, for want of such miracles, is not now bound to believe the Gospel; that is, in plain terms, infidelity is no sin faith in Christ is no duty: it is no fault to be