Tales of instruction: in verse and prose/A Parable Against Persecution

by Benjamin Franklin

A Parable against PERSECUTION.

Let not this weak unknowing hand
Preſume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land,
On each I judge thy foe.

AND it came to paſs after thefe things, that Abraham ſat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the ſun. And behold a man bent with age, coming from the way of the wilderneſs leaning on a ſtaff. And Abraham aroſe, and met him, and ſaid unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night; and thou ſhalt ariſe early in the morning and go on thy way. And the man ſaid, Nay; for I will abide under this tree. But Abraham preſſed him greatly: ſo he turned, and they went into the tent: and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. And when Abraham ſaw that the man bleſſed not God, he ſaid unto him, Wherefore doſt thou not worſhip the moſt high God, Creator of heaven and earth? And the man anſwered and faid, I do not worſhip thy God, neither do I call upon his name; for I have made to myſelf a god, which abideth always in my houſe, and provideth me with all things. And Abraham's zeal was kindled againſt the man; and he aroſe and fell upon him, and drove him forth with blows into the wilderneſs. And God called unto Abraham, ſaying, Abraham, where is the ⟨stranger?⟩ And Abraham anſwered and ſaid, ⟨Lord⟩, he would not worſhip thee, neither ⟨would⟩ he call upon thy name; therefore have ⟨I⟩ driven him out from before my face into ⟨the⟩ wilderneſs. And God ſaid, Have I borne ⟨with⟩ him theſe hundred and ninety and eight ⟨years⟩, and nouriſhed him, and clothed him, ⟨notwithſtanding⟩ his rebellion againſt me; ⟨and⟩ couldſt not thou, who art thyſelf a ⟨ſinner⟩, bear with him one night?