Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

1'"·i'g hteom~ I anlwer I. We cannot be over obedient to God. 2. You conrradid the expuience of all agef. Even rhe form of Godlinefs is l11ted by the Profane ; and temperance by the drunkard ; and he iliall be their fcorn that runs not with rhem ro exceffes of ryot : SenecP~ tells us that it was fo even at Rome -among the Heachens, rhat he was their derifion that would not be as baa as the refi. If therefore in this life only we had hope we were of all men mpfl: miferable, I Cor. 15 .19. Not but that e 1 ven here we bave the far hettcr life then wicked m~n: But that is be– caufe it favoureth of the life ta come to which it bath relation. 9lh~rwife we iliould lofe onr credit, eafe, pleafure, profit m the world, and have nothing for it. Faithfully Labour for God, 0 my foul; and never fear being a lofer by his .work. ~er, I 5. I further aske, whether youwould .be alrm.e of this brutifh Opinion, or woPild you have all others of your mind ? If you would not have others Believe ~s you do, it feems you tbink not well of your own opinion but take it to be naught for men to hold. And why iliould not all men hold it if it were true? But if you would have all of that mind, it were time for you to l oo~ about you. Certainly the Law_makers would make orhcr Laws then now they do, and men would lead other kind of lives: Arid what fecurity you would have of your goods, or houfes, or lives aweek, from the malice or covetoufnefs of others, I cannot imagine, You would not dare to travel by the way, or look out among men : You could not truft your fervants, nor your wives,' or -husbands, becaufe there would be nothing but temporal pu– nifhment to rell:rain them, which cunning might efcape. I do not think out you would rather have fervants, or neighboun or husband, or wife, that believe a Life to come, then thofe that do nor, it you had tryed others but a little while, and feen how littl_e they were eo be rrufl:ed, and confcqucntly how bad your opt– nion is . . ~er. r6. And I would know, Whether JOU pretend to Any Jmufty And Cunfcience, or not 1 If not, you will give us leave to judge of you, and ttoft youaccordingly. If you do, t_hen - upo~ what gronml iJ it poffibie for JOU ta behonefJ ? If you beheve no hfe to comt, you muft take your plcafure h~Pe on earth for your tbiefefi happinefs : and you cannot believe any pro.per Government of the world by the Laws, Rewards, and pnntfh· menr, fufficient ~~ re~r~in men from their pn. :Venue nn be no

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