Where we see there hath been mistakes and differences thorough humane frailty, and a willingness to be otherwise so far as God gives light, let all former unkindnesses be forgotten, so as never to rip up old things to charge them one upon another: let there he a line of forgetfulness drawn over ⟨p. 287⟩them; let them be buried in oblivion. This was the Athenians Amnestia; a Law that was made by Thrasybulus, with the consent of the people; that former injuries should be forgotten. It was made upon this occasion. After Lysander had conquered the Athenians, he set thirty Governors over them which tyrannized exceedingly. Thrasybulus, with many others, were banished; but after a while, Thrasybulus gathering together his banished Countrymen, he got up an Army, and by it delivered the Athenians from the yoke of these thirty Tyrants: now because when the banished men came home •o their former possessions, Thrasybulus feared there would be exceeding heartburning amongst the Athenians, that those who had been banished would be revenged upon those whom they judged the causes of it, and the other would be enraged against them: therefore Thrasibulus got the people to join with him in this Law, which they called Amnestia, that all former wrongs should be forgotten, & that they should live lovingly and peaceably henceforth one with another, as if such breaches had never been among them. Whensoever God shall deliver these Kingdoms from bondage, and settle things amongst us, the addition of such a Law which we may call our English. Amnestia will be very necessary. Otherwise oh the abundance of the fire of malice that will remain raked up under the ashes, ready upon any occasion to burst out! one will look upon the other with eyes full of revenge, with scorn, hatred, and disdain; one will charge the other as the cause of all our miseries, and curse him; the other will charge him, and curse him as deeply. Every time men think what they have suffered, their hearts will be enraged. Such now is that extreme bitter exasperation, and deadly rage of mens hearts one against another, that whensoever peace shall be concluded, if it be not made exceeding sure, our pacification is like to be the foundation of far greater evils to us then yet have befallen us.
WHere we see there hath been mistakes and differences thorough humane frailty, and a willingnesse to be otherwise so far as God gives light, let all former unkindnesses be forgotten, so as never to rip up old things to charge them one upon another: let there he a line of forgetfulnesse drawn over ⟨p. 287⟩them; let them be buried in oblivion. This was the Athenians Amnestia; a Law that was made by Thrasybulus, with the consent of the people; that former injuries should be forgotten. It was made upon this occasion. After Lysander had conquered the Athenians, he set thirty Governours over them which tyrannized exceedingly. Thrasybulus, with many others, were banished; but after a while, Thrasybulus gathering together his banished Countreymen, he got up an Army, and by it delivered the Athenians from the yoke of these thirty Tyrants: now because when the banished men came home •o their former possessions, Thrasybulus feared there would be exceeding heartburning amongst the Athenians, that those who had been banished would be revenged upon those whom they judged the causes of it, and the other would be enraged against them: therefore Thrasibulus got the people to joyne with him in this Law, which they called Amnestia, that all former wrongs should be forgotten, & that they should live lovingly and peaceably henceforth one with another, as if such breaches had never been among them. Whensoever God shall deliver these Kingdoms from bondage, and settle things amongst us, the addition of such a Law which we may call our English. Amnestia will be very necessary. Otherwise oh the abundance of the fire of malice that will remaine raked up under the ashes, ready upon any occasion to burst out! one will look upon the other with eyes full of revenge, with scorn, hatred, and disdain; one will charge the other as the cause of all our miseries, and curse him; the other will charge him, and curse him as deeply. Every time men think what they have suffered, their hearts will be enraged. Such now is that extreme bitter exasperation, and deadly rage of mens hearts one against another, that whensoever peace shall be concluded, if it be not made exceeding sure, our pacification is like to be the foundation of far greater evills to us then yet have befalne us.
