A26865:699
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…
An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II. an answer to the accusations urged as reasons for the silencing of about 2000 by Bishop Morley ..., III. reasons proving it the duty and interest of the bishops and conformists to endeavour earnestly their restoration : with a postscript upon oral debates with Mr. H. Dodwell, against his reasons for their silence ... : written in 1668 and 1669, for the most of it, and now published as an addition to the defence against Dr. Stillingfleet, and as an account to the silencers of the reasons of our practice / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst and D. Newman, 1681
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.
7. And you must consider also, that if blood or destruction be the means which you trust to, you must set up a Shambles, or trade of butchery, and make it the profession of all your lives: For it is egregious folly to think, that it is but like the fighting with an Army, where all your enemies are in sight before you; and if you conquer them, you may kill them all at once: For they are dispersed all over the Land; and they cannot all, in a little time, be detected, and fairly convicted and brought to execution: But you must be a long time about the killing of those that are now in being; And when they are gone, the Surculi that spring out of their stumps, will in number perhaps exceed them, and find you work as long as you live. And then one cruel act will seem to cause a necessity of another, to justify it, and to make sure work, lest those that you have wronged, or any of their friends should possibly live to see your folly make you miserable (Therefore the Japonians killed and tormented not only the Christians, but their kindred, and all the next inhabitants). And besides, when men turn to so great sin, God usually so forsaketh them, that they ⟨p. 201⟩cannot tell how to make an end; They thirst for blood, till like Leeches they fall off with fullness: And the more wickedness they do, the more they are disposed to do. That you may see I have my boys School-books, though I am driven from my own, you shall have some more of Juvenal: Mobilis & varia est fermè natura malorum. Cum scelus admittunt, superest constantia: quid fas Atque nefas tandem incipiunt sentire peractis Criminibus; tamen ad mores natura recurrit Damnatos fixa, & mutari nescia: Nam quis Peccandi finem posuit sibi? quando recepit Ejectum semel attrita de fronte ruborem? Quisnam hominum est quem contentum videris uno Flagitio?
7. And you must consider also, that if blood or destruction be the means which you trust to, you must set up a Shambles, or trade of butchery, and make it the profession of all your lives: For it is egregious folly to think, that it is but like the fighting with an Army, where all your enemies are in sight before you; and if you conquer them, you may kill them all at once: For they are dispersed all over the Land; and they cannot all, in a little time, be detected, and fairly convicted and brought to execution: But you must be a long time about the killing of those that are now in being; And when they are gone, the Surculi that spring out of their stumps, will in number perhaps exceed them, and find you work as long as you live. And then one cruel act will seem to cause a necessity of another, to justifie it, and to make sure work, lest those that you have wronged, or any of their friends should possibly live to see your folly make you miserable (Therefore the Japonians kill'd and tormented not only the Christians, but their kindred, and all the next inhabitants). And besides, when men turn to so great sin, God usually so forsaketh them, that they