OCR Text |
Show < •s~ ) · llmongfl them which are SanE!ijieJ, by Faith which i4 in Chrijl. And this was the End ofrheir coming, and the Inrenr thereof, and no other : And no orherrhing did they do, nor have ye Coovinc'd them of any orher. Now, What is this W that which ye pretend, and feem ro Infinuare by all this Clamour, of your .fuJI and Nece./Jary Defence. --And all other Means failing-and which, might it b!lve been prevented, and Salus Populi, the Soveraign Law been preferved-As if the whole Counrry, a~d every individual therein, and your felves in particular, were in Danger, as by a Hoftile Enemy ? Were ye in the Truth, or of the Truth, the Truth is able co defend ics own ; and irs Weapons are not Carnal, but Spiritual, Mighty through God, to the cajii11Jg down ~f flrong Holds, and every Imagination that exalteth it [elf againft the Kingdom of Je{m Chrift: And it needs not Man, nor the Arm of Man to Defend ir. But in char ye have not warred with thefe, but wid1 orher Weapons, and by Cruelty and Blood (which the Truth is againft) have fought w Support your Religion, and by fuch I-'ro- · ceedings as thefe, and Loud Acclamations, have endeavoured to Preferve your Religion, and ro befpeak your J uftification with the People. It is manifefi, and it plainly fhews, rha~ your Religion i,.s not Trmh, that your Clamour is nor Right, char ye chat Cry om of Wrong, are the grearefi Wrong-doers, and rhat there is no fuch Thing as ye pretend ; and that ye are ·as Ri. diculous in your Fears j as ye are Cruel in your Wills. · Thirdly, The other Means you rpention to have ufed, are, Imprifonments, Whippings, Cutting off Ears, Fines and Conftfutions of Eftates, Selling for ·Bond-men a1!fl Bond·women, for the Payment of Finu, ( 15 ~ ) Fims, where ye had t~t ken all, or that there was no other thing to fat isfie you : New Fines you laid, and whether ye did it ~1pon New Laws or Old, that is not the Poim, bur. them you did, and are fame of your other Means, and Cruel Ones roo, as I have fl1ewed , Banijhment npon Pain of Death: Thefe are your M~ans, your mher Means failing (you fay) you offered rhem the Point ; which they comjng uptm Wilfully and Violenrly (as you fay) but time will make ir appear, that it was in the Will of God they came inro your Ju rifditlion, and in the Moving~ and by the Command of him, who is above your Laws, Not rufhing upon (as ye alkdge, bu[ Soberly, and in the Fear of God) there~y became Felons de fe, as ye fay (bur of their Blood you are Guilry ) and mull know the Price of ir, for this Shifr will not ferve you before the Judge of all, who will render to you accordi.,.,g to your Deeds, and who fees your Hearts~ and knows rhe Bonom of your Intents againft thefe People, and accordingly will Judge you ( whofe J udgments are J ufi ) You put them to Deatbo Thefe ~re your 1\-ieans; but thefe are none of rhe l\1eans which the Spirit of Truth Prefcribes in rhe Scriptures of the Apofiles, for the Convin~ cing Gainfayers; Bur, Exhortati~n., Reproof Ad~ monition, the Word of Truth, the Sword of tke Spir ·it ; and thefe the Apoftles ufed, and with thefe they 'M!arred, and they wreflled not 'JJJitb Flejh and Rlood, but 1vith Principalities and Powers, and Spirituat Wickednejfes in High Places ; and in Meeknejr they. lnftrutled them who Oppojcd thcmfelves, if Gvd peradventure 'JVOt~ld give them the Knowledge of the Truth. And the Son of God £ells ye, That he came not to dfjlroy Mens Lives, but to [ave. Anti when his Difciples would have Fire come Jo1Y~: K n ~ |