Thread: Palmer's Christian Paradoxes

Although sometimes attributed to Francis Bacon because a reprint of it was included in a 1648 edition of the Remaines of Francis Bacon, Herbert Palmer was the author of The Christian Paradoxes. To read it online as well as Alexander Grosart's defence of Palmer's authorship, see here:

Lord Bacon Not the Author of "The ... - Google Book Search

I'm not familiar with it, but I'd like to be. Could you briefly summarize it?

The full title of the book is Memorials of Godlines & Christianity. Part I contains meditations on "making religion one's business" and an appendix on the calling of a minister. Part II contains "The Character of a Christian in Paradoxes and seeming Contradictions," "A Proof or Character of visible Godliness," "Some general Considerations to excite watchfulness, and to shake off spiritual drousiness," "Remedies against carefulness [anxiety]," and "The Soul of Fasting." Part III contains "A Daily Direction, or, Brief Rules for daily Conversation" and "A particular Direction for the Lord's-Day."

The "Paradoxes" are a series of wise aphorisms noting seeming contradictions in the life of a believer. To give a few examples:

1. A Christian is one, who believes things which his reason cannot comprehend.

5. He believes Three to be One, and One to be Three; A Father not be elder then his Son, and the Son to be equal with his Father, and one proceeding from both to be fully equall to both.

6. He believes in one Nature three Persons, and in one Person two Natures.

7. He belives a Virgin to have been a Mother, and her Son to be her Maker.

22. He is rich in poverty, and poor in the midst of riches.

25. He loses his life and gains by it, and even while he loses it, he saves it.

36. He loves all men as himself, yet hates some men with perfect hatred.

40. He is a peacemaker, yet continually fighting, and an irreconcilable enemy.

54. He confesses he can do nothing; yet as truly professes he can do all things.

68. He cannot sinne, yet he can do nothing without sin.

71. He is a Serpent and a Dove, a Lamb and a Lion, a Reed and a Cedar.

74. He believes like Abraham, in hope and against hope: and though he can never answer God's Logick, yet with the woman of Canaan he hopes to prevail with the Rhetorick of importunity.

80. After he begins to live he is ever dying; and though he have an eternal life begun in him, yet he makes account he hath a death to pass through.

I should also note that this book was reprinted in August 2008 and is available at Amazon and elsewhere:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Bacon-Author-Christian-Paradoxes/dp/144371657X/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1223060739&sr=11-1]Amazon.com: Lord Bacon Not The Author Of The Christian Paradoxes: Herbert Palmer: Books[/ame]