A26865:725
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.
8. You may have all that is truly desirable, and to be expected in this world, as necessary to Unity and Concord, to Order and Decency, and to your own honour, accomplished ten thousand times easilier, surer and better, by obvious, honest, lawful means.
God never putteth men upon such bloody and desperate courses as some advise: It is no necessity of Gods making that is pleaded for such means, but of their own sinful making, or false imagining. God never wanteth lies or cruelty to his service or glory. They are usually wicked selfish ends (whatever is pretended), for which men choose and use such means: Or if the ends were never so good, they will not justify such means; nay good ends will condemn them as contrary, incongruous, and destructive. But when there are easy, suitable and honest means enow at hand, the choice of such as are forementioned, beseemeth none but those whose design is to destroy.
God never putteth men upon such bloody and desperate courses as some advise: It is no necessity of Gods making that is pleaded for such means, but of their own sinful making, or false imagining. God never wanteth lyes or cruelty to his service or glory. They are usually wicked selfish ends (whatever is pretended), for which men chuse and use such means: Or if the ends were never so good, they will not justifie such means; nay good ends will condemn them as contrary, incongruous, and destructive. But when there are easie, suitable and honest means enow at hand, the choice of such as are forementioned, beseemeth none but those whose design is to destroy.
If you say, What be those means? They are easily told you; but your little self-interests will not give you leave to think them tolerable. I shall tell you more particularly anon. I will now speak but of the generals.