A27004:837
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
Part 1 › Chapter 14: That there is a Life of Retribution after this.
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.
Qu. 1. Whether he that taketh a man to be but an ingenuous kind of Beast, can take it ill to be esteemed as a Beast? May I not expect that he should live like a Beast, who thinketh that he shall die like a Beast? Is such a man ⟨p. 155⟩fit to be trusted any further in humane converse, than his present fleshly interest obligeth him? May I not justly suppose that he liveth in the practice of fornication, adultery, lying, perjury, hypocrisy, murder, treachery, theft, deceit, or any other villainy, as oft as his interest tells him he should do it. What is a sufficient or likely motive to restrain that man, or make him just, who believes not any life after this? It seemeth to me a wrong to him in his own Profession, to call him an Honest man.
Qu. 1. Whether he that taketh a man to be but an ingenuous kinde of Beast, can take it ill to be esteemed as a Beast? May I not expect that he should live like a Beast, who thinketh that he shall die like a Beast? Is such a man ⟨p. 155⟩fit to be trusted any further in humane converse, than his present fleshly interest obligeth him? May I not justly suppose that he liveth in the practice of fornication, adultery, lying, perjury, hypocrisie, murder, treachery, theft, deceit, or any other villany, as oft as his interest tells him he should do it. What is a sufficient or likely motive to restrain that man, or make him just, who believes not any life after this? It seemeth to me a wrong to him in his own Profession, to call him an Honest man.
2. If you think your selves but ingenuous Beasts,1 why should you not be content to be used as Beasts. A Beast is not capable of true Propriety, Right or Wrong: He that can master him, doth him no wrong, if he work him, or fleece him, or take away his life. Why may not they that can master you, use you like Pack-horses, or Slaves, and beat you, and take away your lives.