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Show ·. How farre the Magiftrate may &c. lty th• jultand faithfull fcverity of Magiftrates in thiscafe ·, ida meerely 2ccidemall, from the extreme perverfr.elfe of the deceit· full and corrupt heart of man· , not from any corruption found in fuch dealings of Magifirates. Yea, Experience fpeaketh the contrary, not unely in the in/lance of the Don&tifiJ, who were many.of.them reclaimed, by the jull feverity of the ch•ill Magi· ftrate in Augujiin<J time : But alfo in ouro'wne memory. Let the Difcuffir lpe•ke his confcience, whether Popery or Papilla did· m<;>relw•rme and abound in Q!!een Elizabetbs dayes, then in the dayes of King JameJ? Difculfer. Antonius Pius, the Emperour of Rome, upon thw occajion, "'rott to all the GovernOHr~ of hn ProvinceJ, to f!JT'beare the Perfecmion ofCbri· JlianJ, becaufe fuch dealing.waJ Jo farre fr•m converting ChrijlianJ from their W'!)', that it rather begat in their mind<J an opinion of their Cr1111ity • .. Defendm No manell: for fidt the Pagan Religion was not of God, but wlpable and groffe Idolatry : But the Religion of ChrifiiaDI came downe from Heaven, in the Gofpel of Truth. It is cruelty in aMagifirate, and it will beget in the minds of indifferent aoH>pioian of his cruelty, to munher Innocents (and · {]a cau1a :) when it will never be found guilty, nor· beget in minds•anopinion of·the- cruelty of fuch, . .as !hall put to Murdereu, and obfiinatcdefiroyers of the life of Soules. SecondLy, lt is evident, the perfecuting Emperours·, and· their Governours of Provinces under them, attended not at all;: co tbr convitl:ion of Chri!Hans, nor did they indeavour to make it appeare,. that tlle Chrifiians finned again(\ thcLight .of'their owne confi:ieoces : And therefore we mJ rve 11, Hit bred ·in the people, a jullopinionof the cruelty ofPerfecurors, and.ofthe Innocency of Cbri!Hans,_ 3·· Itis an untrue Intimation of the Difcu.ffir, that Antonifll fa reb ad the perfetution of Chd(lians upon any fuch grounds, al if~he•ffeB:ed ratherthtir converfion (which harlh dealivgmigbt alienate them from :.or as ifby reafonofhard dealing withcheiD, it bred.in the Chrillians an opinion of the cruelty of their PerfcC) ltors: which he_ wa&dcfirous. to.a•1oyd. Read both the Rt-ftriJlU ----Ifa.- --.:-;h-:M-;:-::-=--::-4 3 Jirc,.rfled. 1 • 4. wzt tea. • • J' ------. - -. - both co the m'n of Aft•, and co the ·~e{ cripts of AntomU4 PtUf' . h h ·111(l Realons of fo rb!ddmg-nate 0 f :R !Jme : an d he gtvet • or fi erC t oft heir con tid ellC¢ on G 0 d the perfecmion of th"em : :as 111 :e .P• din relpelt of his Fathen in times of danger, above Pag••d·~ .ha•;iv in that by their Prayers· favourab le grant to them :· an c d<Ii lt,r elfe in Ge·r many, an d d e-they had faved his Army 111 great fo far-re· from feeking their IJroyed their Enemies. B?t hebwals icy towards them, .that he fi h. Paaamfme Y en ' COOVer 100 tO 1! r , n , . J 'fOP 'TIJI~'JOP iH fCST~irota,, X!t& firaicly chargeth his Officen, /'\t' ~:l'~:pentance, and bondage. ~·••~>w!<pittJI, not to draw any _uc I to d of J"Jiin M"tyrJ fecond Both tus R.efcripc.s are extant Ill t te en Apologie for Chrifiians. ' C HA P• 41 • A ·Reply to his Chap. 41· Difcujing !fay ~· 4· with Mica. 4· 3· the Texts, . Difcfeu lf<,r;'. I" . n' 00 u that of the Pro~het •ala 1fHe next Scriptur_e aga•~JI ~" ec~ 'Ihey {hall brea~ their Sword!· 1 2 . 4· togtther wzth ~~c• 4· ?' runing hoo~J: A11d Ita. 1 r. into Plowjhaw' and thezr ~~res :ntolj the MoHmaine of my Huli-· g• ., ..I' here jha1 none h11rt order '!!'• tn a neffe; . . , . an[wereth, ,1 , '[bat thrfo Prcd~Dion1 d"'. Vntowbzch Mr. Cotton .CI 'JI will fubdue the NJt~m> to the oneiy.fbew with what "'eapons "' F Jith of the Gofi>el; h the mte~ and p.-ceable tem~" will be of all 2. 'Ihryfliew alfow a~ 1 . nJ norLrop3 rd1 , wr crmii Op· tme Convert! tnChrijliamty : nat to d biter I one ~~f anot~fr: but dor .'1· preffJurJ, tJor JWalig,~anroppafoo' ~n from the Jl:eepfold ~ nor to rr-nor rurbid them to dfl.t'e ravenonr wo veJ .JI 1' r. tkv 'ng the {heep.af Chrt · flraine th<mlrom . o."'t I Ch·ifli'n : but m: tbinkt-liN'A.1(<Vmr . 'Ihi< fir/i Anfwu"' t'J'l,;ven 0111 of thim onme mJ~<Ib will I j:~d~e mzgbtbeareavoyce_{rum jd h'u aJ evilland b2tter, a1 the fornur thee: for that whzch he a ~ 1. doth not forbid them to drtve rtt· <Pard; were good and[weet ; ,~; ludt 1 ""d 19 rellraine th'm ftom deuoHring 'fle>Jotff wolvu from the fheep,o ,. an J' B"t tbe (beep of Chrijl • . |
