the prime Delinquents. Remember what God told Ahab;
Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed
to destruction, therfore thy life shall go for his life, and
thy People for his People. While you may hapily bee too
tender of the honor of other men's Families, you may blast
your own; while you preserve their Roofs you may teare up
your own Foundations. Oh, it were a thousand pitties to translate
that Bloud upon your innocent Families, which God may
visit upon Them when you are in your graves.
And let not seducers escape, where hapily the sedueed shall
feel the keenredg of the sword of Justice, In another place he
faith, The execution of Justice hath been a most efficacious
(I had almost said, infallible) means to pacifie an Angry god,
and recover a dying People. Phineas stood up and executed
Justice, and then the Plague was staied. The execution of
Justice, though it were upon Saul's posterity, pacified Gods
wrath, and saved the Land from perishing.
Remember Charity begins at home; but that is not all; you
run a hazard to involve the Kingdom in guilt and Bloud.
And let me tell you thus much it is the most unseasonable time
that ever you could doe it. God is angry, and he seems to ask
this once more; will you strike, will you execute Judgement,
or will you not? tell me; For, if you will not, I will have the Enemies
bloud, and yours to, if you will not execute vengeance upon Delinquents.
There is no dallying with God now; much delay hath been used already, too
much. We are in his hand already; Oh that it may be your wisdom and
honor, by a seasonable, and vigorous execution of Justice, to deliver us, out of
the hand of the Lord, lest if the Kingdomeperish, your names be listed among
the State-murtherers and destroyers of the Land. Vex these Midianites;
and smite them; for, they vex you with their wiles. Let not them finde mercy
in your cies, in whose eies a whole Nation, and our Posterity could finde no
pitty. Spare not but where you think in your Consciences God himself would
spare, if be himself were upon the Bench in person. Imitate God in your. Justice, Look to
your duties, and trust God with your Reputations. These are parcess tacks together out
of that excellent Sermon, preached by Mr. Case in 1644. It was Printed for Luke
Fawne in Pauls churchyard; and as it gave good Counsell to the Court. Martiall
then, so it may serve now for Instruction to the Fifty four qucasie Consciences,
that in time to come, they may be able to digest an impar[unr]iall execution of Justice upon
bloudy Conspitralers and Traylors.