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The Nonconformist* No. VIL 09
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Nonconformist. No. Vii. An Inquiry I...
of the colony > and the ability and impartiality with which he managed its affairs , gave satisfaction to all but the bigoted and ungrateful * His impartiality , indeed , with regard to religious matters , excited the rage of into *
lerauts so highly , that he had repeatedly to write in defence of his conduct . I might give many examples of the masterly sty le in which he wrote in defence of complete civil and religious liberty , but must content myself with only the following : —
" There goes many a ship to sea , with many hundred souls in one ship , whose weal and woe is common ; and is a true picture of a commonwealth , or a human combination , or society . It has fallen out sometimes that both
Papists and Protestants , Jews and Turks , may be embarked into one ship . Upon which supposal I affirm , that all the liberty of conscience that ever I pleaded for , turns upon these two hinges—that none of the Papists , Protestants , Jews or Turks , be forced
to come to the ship s prayers or worship ; nor compelled froin their own particular prayers or worship , if they practise any . I further add , that I never denied , that , notwithstanding this liberty , the commander of this ship ought to command the ship ' s
course ; yea , and also command that justice , peace and sobriety be kept and practised , both among the seamen and all the passengers . If any of the seamen refuse to perform their service , or passengers to pay their freight 5 if
any refuse to help , in person or purse , towards the common charges or defence ; if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the ship , concerning their common peace or
preservation j if any shall mutiny and rise up against their commanders and oncers , if any should preach or write that there ought to be no commanders nor officers , because all are equal in Christ , therefore no masters nor
officers , uo laws nor orders , no corrections nor punishments 9 1 say I never denied but in such cases , whatever is pretended , the commander or commanders may judge , resist , compel and punish such transgressors , according to their deserts and merits . " *
Npt content with promoting the temporal ! and religious welfare of the * Backups Hist , of N $ w England , I . J » P . 297 , 398 .
The Nonconformist. No. Vii. An Inquiry I...
colonists , he made the Indians acquaiute 4 with Christianity , and succeeded in bringing a considerable number of them to profess its truths and practise its virtues . Indeed , so beloved was he by them , that his memory was fondly cherished by their descendants down to the year 1787 . *
But to return to England . Charles I . was perhaps as much disposed to persecute Dissenters from the national church and faith , as any of his pre * decessors , and Charles II . still more so : whose reign , during which it is said
nearly 800 O Protestant Dissenters perished in prison , would furnish more than sufficient materials for this essay , already too long . I shall , therefore , add but pne more testimony to the heretical and dangerous tendency of Baptist principles .
Thomas de Laurie , the author of A Plea for the Nonconformists , a book which ought to be known to every Dissenter , is the individual from whom I shall quote a passage in favour of religious liberty . This truly excellent
man , whom Neal , probably with a little Presbyterian contempt , calls *' an Anabaptist schoolmaster , " was suffered to perish in prison , as well as his wife and two children , for writing his Plea . Defoe , in page 11 of the Preface to the edition of 17 & 0 ,
observes , " I cannot refrain saying , such a champion of such a cause , deserved better usage ; and it * was very hard , such a man . such a Christian , such a
scholar , and on such an occasion , should starve in a dungeon , and the whole body of Dissenters in England , whose cause he died for defending , should not raise him QQL \ 3 s . Ad . to
save his life . I could go on here , to exclaim against the cruelty of one party , and the ingratitude of the other ; but the man is dead ; he lies a monument of English tyranny on one hand , and selfish principles on the other , both which make nations blind to men of merit . 7 *
It will be recollected that Dr . Calamy in his sermon , entitled Sentpulous Consciences , had given an invi-- 1 . . , .. . . * \_ m i \ - - 1 ¦¦¦ mi - -- . . ' . i 1 . - < i Mi « H ~ TT » ' —* " 1 * Respecting this enlightened friend of Civil and Religious Liberty , some
interest ing- particulars are expected to appear shortly , in an Appendix to the Memoirs of the late Rev . Win . Richards , of Lynn , which Mr . Evans , of Islington , is preparing for the ' press .
The Nonconformist* No. Vil 09
The Nonconformist * No . VIL 09
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Feb. 22, 1819, page 99, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_22021819/page/31/
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