Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1852-02-05


caring aud drinking, and ye say, behold
swina hibbsr-m friend Of pnblicans ana :iu
mers. Bus wisdOEn Is justified 81 q" me-
children IA :; a..
JolO ,l,e Baptist was justified On ~.
..Ao,..,,, ;cuannss. and Christ ia eating and
.,S;,l,;.o ,.-l,lt the worlds men eat and
drink.
In tb. second chapter Of John, miracle
;s related where Christ made large guam
,i,v of wine, and that TOO OF the best quail.
nv Here 10 some of the strongest proof
III the divinity Of Christ. How ASTONISHING
II in ,hut men far selfish purposes will I'M
ae,taave 10 make it appear that this wine
ro..esaed no Intoxicating qusty-for say
ahsv II was made Of water. Does any
ono hsl;-va flat the arm of God is short
ened. or thut Christ had scrupIes about the
Intoxicating part Hath not the Almlsn'y
sna .is all our wines Would Christ scru,
ple to DO that which he hath seen the IA
sher d.? or would they make out ChTlst to
he a complete juglar that he did not 90 Aha'
which hs claimed to do!
(,hris,. not beholden to the recorders
men for Information, but with tuii know&'
edge of all spre eternity (and leave the
yesder to Judge as 10 his knowledge Of tu-
1urity.l set his example. and that too not
exactly in accordance with total abstneco
principles. Fanatics know ne stopping
rlscc short Of death aud destruction Ten
wears ago there was not nan IN New
Enolnnd that would hare dared to advocate
the Maine Law OF anything Ike ii.
Say they, We arc ONLY for small ,,oenal,-
.ies-wh;ch plea is full vi deceit an', fal Sc
hood for if those penalties tailtc acc ON
alish their purpose, the sword IS IT,. las,
and surest remedy. lfanythiag l. ,ss than
ahe highest cruelty would Suffice, popery
would want no inquisition. TIE Court Of
Rome are too refined poItci' ans to desire
ahe infamy aud reproach of that horrible
uibun al, il moderate penal.,e or any pen
stiles this side of death aid utter des rue
aion would serve their tt IN.
Such are tho imp esSious which W.
must materially entert' sin ofthose cruel mer
who use force in behalf Of their moral ant
religious sguabbles. And with an i'll grace
do any sert ofmen who are for any sor, o
,soverMy in caSes Of moral and religious
.Opinieux, rail at the inquisition, which i
only the highest impJ ovement of their owl
.reasouing. 1t is therown scheme success
fally enacted. TIE inquisilion did M
&arise all ut once. decentralization. cur
sing, and other sorts Of church discipline
were FIRST trie,l; then followed fines an;
.imprisonmen,s and other SIMILAR methods t
secareGke papal church against schisma,ic;
But Us all these wholesome severilie
could not persuade men out Of their senses
.the last and surest attack wis made upo
l.lleir lives. Tho sword of persecution WI
thea openly drawn, its 6res were publcl
!kindlsd, and downright buichery W,
.avowed and piousy preached. These wei
AMI forever must he the nal urnl graduation
---and such heginniDgs, ifthey are sufsre
10 be pursued, mast fort ver have sue
ends. @@&
Its not The leas, provoking part OF .hes
nngully barbariiies, that those who praC
lice them or desire TO see them practices
have iha iRimitable tmpulence all ii
while their hands are thus lifted up again
God aud man, 10 talk OF religion and rel
son-lo pretend mercy and peace In Il
heat and excess OF billerness and rage
and to plead regard for the souls Of MI
when they are acting lhe BLACKLIST hps,iI
ties against their bodies, fortunes and co
Acaences, and sacrificing their lives to ha
and yirulence anl to every wicked al
worldly end-this is Ia heigh'en impieiy
hypocricy, to ascravate cruelty BY n'ocl
ery. You talk Of Gevela:jon AID reason
yom that are prosecutors or advuc gates q
persecmtien: but how idly, shnmelesslye q
you talk. What haS faith to do with vic
lence !---whal has revelation to do with IN
sword lfyour religion is supported b,
reason, why seek you any Other support
and such a support as is only wante,
where reason is wanting. yourrelisior
be grounded upon revelation, how can ii 81
proved but by revelation ?-and how is rev.
citation tried bat BY reason? What revel-
alton tells you, or does any revelation from
God tell yon, that force teaches faith ?--or
in what instance does reason teach tina,
truth is the offspring Of violence or akin to
iti Where does farce explain one ma,h'
ematical proposition - one doctrine o.
christianity, or any doctrine of Christ and
his apostles? Did Chr>ta and his apostles
ever direct you TO begel faith by violence
or 10 hurt any man Tor his faith ? Die
they themselves ever do so-And win yot
dare to do what they never did, hut con
stan.iy forbid From what p,rt of TN
Gospel do you bring your ropes and dun
gems, or even your fncs, civil exclusions
and negative penalties ?-or even your an
ger and railing? You know tina, the Cos
pei renounces them all, and you, If you us
Ihem. ". K. FARMER.
- l%
"CoveI's Bible Dictionary.