A27004:965
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
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.
Obj. But Hell is a cruelty which expresseth tyranny rather than wise justice.
Answ. That's but the voice of Folly, partiality and guilt: Every thief that is hanged is like enough to think the same of his own Punishment and Judge. If you think it such a cruelty, why was not the threatening of it enough to govern you, and to counterpoise a Feather, the trifles of sordid fleshly pleasure: Why did you choose it, in the choice of sin? were you not told of it? and was not Life and Death offered to your choice? Would you choose that which you think it is cruelty to inflict? who is it that is cruel to you but your selves? Why will you now be so cruel to your own souls, and then call God cruel for giving you your choice? O sinners, ⟨p. 175⟩as you are wise, as you are men, as ever you care what becometh of you for ever, have mercy upon your selves, and do not refuse, and obstinately refuse the mercy of God, and then call him unmerciful? Have pity on your own Souls! Be not so cruel against your selves as to run into endless misery for nothing, and then think to lay the blame on God! God calleth now to you in your sin and wilfulness, and entreateth you to have mercy on your selves, and then he will have mercy on you in the day of your distress: But if you will not hear him, but will have none of his mercy now, wonder not if in vain you cry to him for it then.
Answ. That's but the voice of Folly, partiality and guilt: Every thief that is hanged is like enough to think the same of his own Punishment and Judge. If you think it such a cruelty, why was not the threatning of it enough to govern you, and to counterpoise a Feather, the trifles of sordid fleshly pleasure: Why did you choose it, in the choice of sin? were you not told of it? and was not Life and Death offered to your choice? Would you choose that which you think it is cruelty to inflict? who is it that is cruel to you but your selves? Why will you now be so cruel to your own souls, and then call God cruel for giving you your choice? O sinners, ⟨p. 175⟩