Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

fity, that he might fee how fo celebrated a Man would manage the matter in those difficult times; and there, to his amazement, he faw Mr. Marfbal marry his Daughter to one of the Saints, exactly in all punctilio's according to the Book of Common Prayer. At their return to the Vicaridge House, my Kinsman, taking him afide, asked him, How he, who had fpoken fo much and fo vehemently against the Book of Common Prayer, could fatisfie himself in what he had done? To whom he reply'd in words to this effect: That the Objection was true, but yet he did not know, that the Book of Common Prayer was as yet by any Authority abrogated, and he was fure that no other legal way of Marriage was yet established; and feeing he gave his Daughter a very good Portion, he fhould be loth, if any thing should fall out beyond his expectation, to see his Daughter turn'd out of doors as a Whore, and her Children made Baftards, for want of a le= gal Marriage. Various Applications may be made of the Story, but I leave that to others.

Allow me for once the liberty to men

tion only one more of thefe extorted Privileges, because I take it to be a Scandal to the rest of the Nation, and then I will have done. There are a fort of Men, who have made up a Religion out of a Complication of Old Herefies, which ftrike at the Root and very Being of Chriftianity: Thefe Men flatly refufe to make Oath in any Court upon any Civil Caufe or Tryal. But by the way you ought to know, that whatever they may pretend, the true Reason is, that it is a Privilege annex'd to their Perfection; for it is a DoEtrine taken from the Popish Schools, that Juramentum non cadit in perfectos; and there is not one of these Men, but lays claim to Perfection, at least they did so when they first fet up this Practice. But, alas, how perfect Men are we know not! and few or none fuch are to be found in this Life, which is not a State of Perfection: And be they what they will, Oaths are the highest Security, and made to fatisfie the weakness and incredulity of others; and even God himself, who alone is abfolutely perfect, fo far conde. fcended to the Infirmities of Man, that when

when he could fwear by no greater, he fware by himself, (Heb. 6. 13.) And the Apoftle tells us, That an Oath for confirmation is the end of all ftrife, (Heb. 6. 16.) But be the Concern never fo great, and the Consequence never so dangerous, yet these Men will not Swear: And upon this they have obtained a Privilege, that their Affeveration shall pass in fuch cases, wherein an Oath is required of all others, as if there was not a Man in the whole Kingdom to be believed upon his Word but a Quaker. Thofe, who are fo apt to accuse them of Lying, cannot but think it unreasonable, that this Privilege fhould be granted them. And truly I fear that others would look upon us as the most infamous Nation under the Heavens, if it should be granted, that there are none among us fo honeft and truly Religions as thefe Men; and doth not fuch a Privilege tend to create fuch an Opinion of us? But if others be as credible Perfons as they, why fhould they not have the fame Privilege, efpecially seeing that in all probability they might obtain it, if they would lefs de

[ocr errors]

ferve it, by being as obftinate as the other are.

If it were deliberately enquired into, in how many unreasonable Particulars Government seems to accept Laws from fome fort of Men, rather than give any to them, it might make fome bethink themselves. But I know I have done more already, than I shall receive any Thanks for; and therefore I will trouble them no farther, but leave them to themselves, and let Ziba take all for me. As a Clergyman, I think I ought to have a particular Zeal for the Establishment of true Religion; as a Chriftian, I wish well to all Men; as a Native, I heartily defire the safety and profperity of my Country: But if I think fuch courfes are not taken, as tend to procure and promote these things, I wish that I alone were mistaken, that all others might enjoy the happiness of it.

THE

« AnteriorContinuar »