A free disputation against pretended liberty of conscience tending to resolve doubts moved

3 The Argument, of Gamaliel, cannot conclude that God is less watchful, and less severe to take vengeance on Sorcerers, Murderers, Lions and cruel tyrants, bloody and deceitful men, than against new false religions, for if the way of Robbers, Conspirators, Armies that rise in rebellion against their masters, Covenant-breakers, be of men, God will bring it to nought and destroy it, as he overturned the way of Theudas and Judas, as is clear. God turns the way of the wicked upsidedown, Ps. 146. 9. And the bloody and deceitful man shall not live half his days, Ps. 55. 23. And so shall the old Lion perish for want of his prey, Job 4. 11. and shall want and suffer hunger, Psalm. 34. 10. ergo, Job or any Magistrate should refrain from plucking the prey out of the Jaws of the oppressors, contrary to Job 29. 16, 17. or if the way of Oppressors be of God, and if God have armed them with his power to be a scourge, Rulers should not defend the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger, from the paws of the Lions and Murderers, but should refrain; why? If Gods power be with them, we resist the power of God, we fight against God. Nor is it enough that the patron of liberty, Servetus and Goodwin tell us in doubtsome things, such as controversies of Religion, we would refrain from drawing the sword against men, for their conscience and religion, because we know not infallibly, but their way may be as well or rather the way of God, than our own, and then we run the hazard of fighting against God Omnipotent; and when it is dubious to us, but it may be the way of men, it is safest to leave it to God, and that we hold back our hand from offering violence to them, for God will save our labour, and burn the hay and stubble of mens drossy inventions, and what need then is there to file the edge of the Magistrates sword, in a dubious case, when we have not certaine•y of faith, that the now Sectaries way is of men and Satan.

3 The Argument, of Gamaliel, cannot conclude that God is lesse watchful, and lesse severe to take vengeance on Sorcerers, Murtherers, Lions and cruel tyrants, bloody and deceitful men, than against new false religions, for if the way of Robbers, Conspirators, Armies that rise in rebellion against their masters, Covenant-breakers, bee of men, God wil bring it to nought and destroy it, as he overturned the way of Theudas and Iudas, as is cleare. God turnes the way of the wicked upsidedown,