Furious Persons, animated by their secular Interests, or desire of Revenge, unacquainted with the Spirit of the Gospel, and the true nature of the Religion revealed by Jesus Christ incompassionate towards the Infirmities of the minds of Men, whereof yet none in the world give greater Instances than themselves, who have no thoughts but to trample under foot and destroy all that differ from them, we shall rather pity and pray for, ⟨p. 9⟩then either contend withal, or hope to convince. Such they are, as if outward prevalency were added to their Principles and desires, they would render all Christians like the Moabites, 1Ammonites, and Edomites, who came out to fight against Judah. The two greater Parties upon some difference or distaste, conspire at first to destroy the Inhabitants of Seir; not doubting but that when they had dispatched them out of the way, they should accord well enough among themselves: But the Event deceived their Expectation; their Rage ceased not until issued in the mutual destruction of them all. No otherwise would it be with those who want nothing but force or opportunity to exterminate their next dissenters in matters of Religion. For when they had accomplished that design, the same Principle and Rage would arm them to the wasting of the residue of Christians, or their own. For a conceit of the Lawfulness hereof, is raised from a desire of enlarging power and dominion, which is boundless. Especially is it so, where an Empire over the Reason, Faith and Consciences of men is affected; which first produced the fatal Engine of Papal Infallibility; that nothing also could have strained the wit of man to invent, and nothing less can support. Unto such as these we shall not so much as tender satisfaction, until they are capable of receiving the advice of the Apostle, Eph. 4. 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, ⟨p. 10⟩and clamour, and Evil speaking, be put away from you, with all Malice. For until this be done, men are to be esteemed but as raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame, whom it is to no purpose to seek to pacify, much less to contend withal.
Furious Persons, animated by their secular Interests, or desire of Revenge, unacquainted with the Spirit of the Gospel, and the true nature of the Religion revealed by Jesus Christ incompassionate towards the Infirmitics of the minds of Men, whereof yet none in the world give greater Instances than themselves, who have no thoughts but to trample under foot and destroy all that differ from them, we shall rather pitty and pray for, ⟨p. 9⟩then either contend withal, or hope to convince. Such they are, as if outward prevalency were added to their Principles and desires, they would render all Christians like the Moabites, 1Ammonites, and Edomites, who came out to fight against Judah. The two greater Parties upon some difference or distaste, conspire at first to destroy the Inhabitants of Seir; not doubting but that when they had dispatched them out of the way, they should accord well enough among themselves: But the Event deceived their Expectation; their Rage ceased not untill issued in the mutual destruction of them all. No otherwise would it be with those who want nothing but force or opportunity to exterminate their next dissenters in matters of Religion. For when they had accomplished that design, the same Principle and Rage would arm them to the wasting of the residue of Christians, or their own. For a conceit of the Lawfulness hereof, is raised from a desire of enlarging power and dominion, which is boundless. Especially is it so, where an Empire over the Reason, Faith and Consciences of men is affected; which first produced the fatal Engine of Papal Infallibility; that nothing also could have strained the wit of man to invent, and nothing less can support. Unto such as these we shall not so much as tender satisfaction, untill they are capable of receiving the advice of the Apostle, Eph. 4. 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, ⟨p. 10⟩and clamour, and Evil speaking, be put away from you, with all Malice. For untill this be done, men are to be esteemed but as raging waves of the Sea, foaming out their own shame, whom it is to no purpose to seek to pacifie, much less to contend withall.
- 12 Chron. 20. 23.
