OF LANCASTER COUNTY. 2-il 



destroy the peaceable and good out of the world; then the judgments 

 of the Almighty would undoubtedly overtake and cut off" the wicked, 

 when there would be none else in the world; and then there would be 

 an end to the being of mankind on the earth. Now this was the result 

 of things in the Antediluvian age, when there was no civil government 

 at all in the world, the wicked destroyed the righteous, till there was 

 none left but Noah; the Almighty saved him by a miracle, and cut olV 

 the rest entirely from the globe. And though Noah was as good a man 

 as any of those people with whom I am now disputing, his posterity de- 

 generated, and the world needed government to keep it in being to this 

 day. It is also equally unfair, to say, Let us stand still and see the salva- 

 tion of God; for if this proves any thing, it proves too much, it proves 

 that we are to use no means at all, for why to use lawful means in our 

 power one time, and not another? we must therefore neither plow or 

 sow; build, raise stock, or do any thing in the use of means, hut stand 

 still and see the salvation of God! But our reason is given us to use 

 it in a proper manner, to preserve our own lives and the lives of 

 others, as God's servants, in a state of probation in this world ; and God 

 will reward every one finally, according to his works; when we have 

 no means in our power, we honor God to trust him, as Israel at the 

 Eed-Sea, and in the wilderness; but when means are in our power, and 

 we do not use them, we then tempt God, and rebel against his govern- 

 ment, which he exercises over the world, in the way of free and moral 

 agency. 



Therefore, for these people to argue as they do now, when they are 

 among other societies, that they know will preserve the state from slaugh- 

 ter or slavery, in the use of lawful means, as has been now proved, is 

 vastly disingenuous, and will undoubtedly subject their opinions to this 

 censure, that it is a sanctuary of sloth — for greed — cowardice, &c. — -for 

 it is easy to stay at home and earn money, to what it is to spend laoney and 

 expose life, top)Totect and defend the luorldling coivard — it is easy to pay money, 

 to what it is to he shot, ko,. But after all that has been said, I am myself 

 so warm an advocate for the sacred rights of conscience, that if these 

 people will not be convinced of their duty; can not get their eyes open; 

 they are to be pitied, but not persecuted. I beg of all, for God and con- 

 science sake, to let them alone; if they will not, in these terrible times, 

 draw the sword /or Liberty and their Country, surely they will not against 

 Liberty and their Country; and if we can do with them, we can without 

 them : O then, let there be no disturbance on that head I 



I now proceed to the second thing proposed, in this discourse, to shew 

 how a lawful war is to be carried on : 



1. Every one that draws the sword, should be well satisfied, in his 

 conscience, that he is called of God to do so ; that, with a good conscience 

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