A treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at KidderminsterA treatise of self-denial. By Richard Baxter, pastor of the church at Kederminster

3. Take heed of engaging your hand, or tongue, or secret thoughts, against the faithful Ministers of Christ: But further the work of ⟨image 19⟩Christ in their hands with all your power. I am no Prophet, but yet presume to say, ☞ that if the reproaches of a faithful Ministry in England be purged away without some dreadful judgment of God on the Apostate reproachers, or else a desertion of the Nation, by a removing of our glory, I shall wonder at the patience and forbearance of the Lord. It's a dreadful observation, to see so much of the spirit of Malignity possessing those that once said, they fought against Malignants. And that the Ministers and servants of the Lord, are railed at by many of them, as formerly they were by the worst of those that their hands destroyed: And with this dreadful aggravation, that then it was but some that were reviled, and now with many it is all: then it was under the name of Puritans and Round-heads, and now it is openly as Ministers under the name of Priests, and Blackcoats, and Presbyters, and Pulpiteers. What have these souls done, that they are so far forsaken by the Lord! The judge of all the world is at the door, that will plead his servants cause in righteousness. It is hard kicking against the pricks. He that despiseth, despiseth not men, but God. Persecution under pretence of Liberty, is heightened with hypocrisy, and is one of the greatest sins in the world. But men are not catched in Spiders webs, though flies are: our Lord will make us a way to escape. Persecution never ⟨image 20⟩conquered Christ, And because he lives, we shall live also. Here is the faith & patience of the Saints.

3. Take heed of engaging your hand, or tongue, or secret thoughts, against the faithful Ministers of Christ: But further the work of ⟨image 19⟩Christ in their hands with all your power. I am no Prophet, but yet presume to say, ☞ that if the reproaches of a faithful Ministry in England be purg'd away without some dreadful judgment of God on the Apostate reproachers, or else a desertion of the Nation, by a removing of our glory, I shall wonder at the patience and forbearance of the Lord. It's a dreadful observation, to see so much of the spirit of Malignity possessing those that once said, they fought against Malignants. And that the Ministers and servants of the Lord, are railed at by many of them, as formerly they were by the worst of those that their hands destroyed: And with this dreadful aggravation, that then it was but some that were reviled, and now with many it is all: then it was under the name of Puritans and Round-heads, and now it is openly as Ministers under the name of Priests, and Blackcoats, and Presbyters, and Pulpeteers. What have these souls done, that they are so far forsaken by the Lord! The judge of all the world is at the door, that will plead his servants cause in righteousness. It is hard kicking against the pricks. He that despiseth, despiseth not men, but God. Persecution under pretence of Liberty, is heightened with hypocrisie, and is one of the greatest sins in the world. But men are not catcht in Spiders webs, though flies are: our Lord will make us a way to escape. Persecution never