Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 13. And then this persecution when its once begun, its never like to stay till it reach to the height of Cruelty. For 1. When you have begun, you will think that you are engaged in honour to carry it on, and not to suffer every poor man or woman to disobey you, and disparage your wisdom. 2. And if you lay but a gentle penalty on dissenters, •t will do no good on them (but perhaps excite them to the more opposition▪) When Conscience is engaged against you, it is not small mullets nor imprisonment neither that will alter the judgements or the ways of such. And therefore you must either proceed to ⟨p. 473⟩blood or banishment, or you miss your ends, and will but be opposed with greater animosity.

§. 13. And then this persecution when its once begun, its never like to stay till it reach to the height of Cruelty. For 1. When you have begun, you will think that you are engaged in honour to carry it on, and not to suffer every poor man or woman to disoby you, and disparage your wisdom. 2. And if you lay but a gentle penalty on dissenters, •t will do no good on them (but perhaps excite them to the more opposition▪) When Conscience is engaged against you, it is not small mul•ts nor imprisonment neither that will alter the judgements or the waies of such. And therefore you must either proceed to ⟨p. 473⟩blood or banishment, or you miss your ends, and will but be opposed with greater animosity.

§. 14. Reas. 12. And then this will raise an odium upon your Government, and make men look upon you as tyrants: For naturally men pity the suffering party, especially when it is for the cause of God, or Profession of more then ordinary exactness in the obeying of Gods commands: And then mens minds will by this be tempted to disloyal jealousies, and censures, if not to the opposition of the Rulers.