Common Sense- 第12部分

to　the　representatives　of　the　religious　society　of　the　people　called　quakers；　or　to　so　many　of　them　as　were　concerned　in　publishing　the　late　piece；　entitled　〃the　ancient　testimony　and　prlnciples　of　the　people　called　quakers　renewed；　with　respect　to　the　king　and　government；　and　touching　the　motions　now　prevailing　in　these　and　other　parts　of　america　addressed　to　the　people　in　general。〃　　the　writer　of　this；　is　one　of　those　few；　who　never　dishonours　religion　either　by　ridiculing；　or　cavilling　at　any　denomination　whatsoever。

to　god；　and　not　to　man；　are　all　men　accountable　on　the　score　of　religion。

wherefore；　this　epistle　is　not　so　properly　addressed　to　you　as　a　religious；　but　as　a　political　body；　dabbling　in　matters；　which　the　professed　quietude　of　your　principles　instruct　you　not　to　meddle　with。　　as　you　have；　without　a　proper　authority　for　so　doing；　put　yourselves　in　the　place　of　the　whole　body　of　the　quakers；　so；　the　writer　of　this；　in　order　to　be　on　an　equal　rank　with　yourselves；　is　under　the　necessity；　of　putting　himself　in　the　place　of　all　those；　who；　approve　the　very　writings　and　principles；　against　which；　your　testimony　is　directed：　　and　he　hath　chosen　this　singular　situation；　in　order；　that　you　might　discover　in　him　that　presumption　of　character　which　you　cannot　see　in　yourselves。　　for　neither　he　nor　you　can　have　any　claim　or　title　to　political　representation。

when　men　have　departed　from　the　right　way；　it　is　no　wonder　that　they　stumble　and　fall。　　and　it　is　evident　from　the　manner　in　which　ye　have　managed　your　testimony；　that　politics；　（as　a　religious　body　of　men）　is　not　your　proper　walk；　for　however　well　adapted　it　might　appear　to　you；　it　is；　nevertheless；　a　jumble　of　good　and　bad　put　unwisely　together；　and　the　conclusion　drawn　therefrom；　both　unnatural　and　unjust。

the　two　first　pages；　（and　the　whole　doth　not　make　four）　we　give　you　credit　for；　and　expect　the　same　civility　from　you；　because　the　love　and　desire　of　peace　is　not　confined　to　quakerism；　it　is　the　natural；　as　well　the　religious　wish　of　all　denominations　of　men。　　and　on　this　ground；　as　men　labouring　to　establish　an　independant　constitution　of　our　own；　do　we　exceed　all　others　in　our　hope；　end；　and　aim。　　our　plan　is　peace　for　ever。

we　are　tired　of　contention　with　britain；　and　can　see　no　real　end　to　it　but　in　a　final　separation。　　we　act　consistently；　because　for　the　sake　of　introducing　an　endless　and　uninterrupted　peace；　do　we　bear　the　evils　and　burthens　of　the　present　day。　　we　are　endeavoring；　and　will　steadily　continue　to　endeavour；　to　separate　and　dissolve　a　connexion　which　hath　already　filled　our　land　with　blood；　and　which；　while　the　name　of　it　remains；　will　he　the　fatal　cause　of　future　mischiefs　to　both　countries。

we　fight　neither　for　revenge　nor　conquest；　neither　from　pride　nor　passion；　we　are　not　insulting　the　world　with　our　fleets　and　armies；　nor　ravaging　the　globe　for　plunder。　　beneath　the　shade　of　our　own　vines　are　we　attacked；　in　our　own　houses；　and　on　our　own　lands；　is　the　violence　mitted　against　us。　　we　view　our　enemies　in　the　character　of　highwaymen　and　housebreakers；　and　having　no　defence　for　ourselves　in　the　civil　law；　are　obliged　to　punish　them　by　the　military　one；　and　apply　the　sword；　in　the　very　case；　where　you　have　before　now；　applied　the　halter……　perhaps　we　feel　for　the　ruined　and　insulted　sufferers　in　all　and　every　part　of　the　continent；　with　a　degree　of　tenderness　which　hath　not　yet　made　its　way　into　some　of　your　bosoms。　　but　be　ye　sure　that　ye　mistake　not　the　cause　and　ground　of　your　testimony。　　call　not　coldness　of　soul；　religion；　nor　put　the　bigot　in　the　place　of　the　christian。

o　ye　partial　ministers　of　your　own　acknowledged　principles。　　if　the　bearing　arms　be　sinful；　the　first　going　to　war　must　be　more　so；　by　all　the　difference　between　wilful　attack；　and　unavoidable　defence。

wherefore；　if　ye　really　preach　from　conscience；　and　mean　not　to　make　a　political　hobbyhorse　of　your　　religion　convince　the　world　thereof；　by　proclaiming　your　doctrine　to　our　enemies；　for　they　likewise　bear　_arms_。

give　us　proof　of　your　sincerity　by　publishing　it　at　st。　jamess；　to　the　manders　in　chief　at　boston；　to　the　admirals　and　captains　who　are　piratically　ravaging　our　coasts；　and　to　all　the　murdering　miscreants　who　are　acting　in　authority　under　him　whom　ye　profess　to　serve。

had　ye　the　honest　soul　of　barclay　ye　would　preach　repentance　to　your　king；　ye　would　tell　the　royal　wretch　his　sins；　and　warn　him　of　eternal　ruin。

＇〃thou　hast　tasted　of　prosperity　and　adversity；　thou　knowest　what　it　is　to　be　banished　thy　native　country；　to　be　over…ruled　as　well　as　to　rule；　and　set　upon　the　throne；　and　being　oppressed　thou　hast　reason　to　know　how　hateful　the　oppressor　is　both　to　god　and　man：　　if　after　all　these　warnings　and　advertisements；　thou　dost　not　turn　unto　the　lord　with　all　thy　heart；　but　forget　him　who　remembered　thee　in　thy　distress；　and　give　up　thyself　to　fallow　lust　and　vanity；　surely　great　will　be　thy　condemnation。……　against　which　snare；　as　well　as　the　temptation　of　those　who　may　or　do　feed　thee；　and　prompt　thee　to　evil；　the　most　excellent　and　prevalent　remedy　will　be；　to　apply　thyself　to　that　light　of　christ　which　shineth　in　thy　conscience；　and　which　neither　can；　nor　will　flatter　thee；　nor　suffer　thee　to　be　at　ease　in　thy　sins。〃……barclays　address　to　charles　ii。＇　ye　would　not　spend　your　partial　invectives　against　the　injured　and　the　insulted　only；　but；　like　faithful　ministers；　would　cry　aloud　and　spare　none。　　say　not　that　ye　are　persecuted；　neither　endeavour　to　make　us　the　authors　of　that　reproach；　which；　ye　are　bringing　upon　yourselves；　for　we　testify　unto　all　men；　that　we　do　not　plain　against　you　because　ye　are　quakers；　but　because　ye　pretend　to　be　and　are　not　quakers。

alas！　it　seems　by　the　particular　tendency　of　some　part　of　your　testimony；　and　other　parts　of　your　conduct；　as　if；　all　sin　was　reduced　to；　and　prehended　in；　the　act　of　bearing　arms；　and　that　by　the　people　only。

ye　appear　to　us；　to　have　mistaken　party　for　conscience；　because；　the　general　tenor　of　your　actions　wants　uniformity……and　it　is　exceedingly　difficult　to　us　to　give　credit　to　many　of　your　pretended　scruples；　because；　we　see　them　made　by　the　same　men；　who；　in　the　very　instant　that　they　are　exclaiming　against　the　mammon　of　this　world；　are　nevertheless；　hunting　after　it　with　a　step　as　steady　as　time；　and　an　appetite　as　keen　as　death。

the　quotation　which　ye　have　made　from　proverbs；　in　the　third　page　of　your　testimony；　that；　〃when　a　mans　ways　please　the　lord；　he　maketh　even　his　enemies　to　be　at　peace　with　him〃；　is　very　unwisely　chosen　on　your　part；　because；　it　amounts　to　a　proof；　that　the　kings　ways　（whom　ye　are　desirous　of　supporting）　do　not　please　the　lord；　otherwise；　his　reign　would　be　in　peace。

i　now　proceed　to　the　latter　part　of　your　testimony；　and　that；　for　which　all　the　foregoing　seems　only　an　introduction　viz。

〃it　hath　ever　been　our　judgment　and　principle；　since　we　were　called　to　profess　the　light　of　christ　jesus；　manifested　in　our　consciences　unto　this　day；　that　the　setting　up　and　putting　down　kings　and　governments；　is　gods　peculiar　prerogative；　for　causes　best　known　to　himself：　and　that　it　is　not　our　business　to　have　any　hand　or　contrivance　therein；　nor　to　be　busy　bodies　above　our　station；　much　less　to　plot　and　contrive　the　ruin；　or　overturn　of　any　of　them；　but　to　pray　for　the　king；　and　safety　of　our　nation。　　and　good　of　all　men　…　that　we　may　live　a　peaceable　and　quiet　life；　in　all　godliness　and　honesty；　under　the　government　which　god　is　pleased　to　set　over　us〃　…　if　these　are　really　your　principles　why　do　ye　not　abide　by　them？　　why　do　ye　not　leave　that；　which　ye　call　gods　work；　to　be　managed　by　himself？　　these　very　principles　instruct　you　to　wait　with　patience　and　humility；　for　the　event　of　all　public　measures；　and　to　receive　that　event　as　the　divine　will　towards　you。　　wherefore；　what　occasion　is　there　for　your　political　testimony　if　you　fully　believe　what　it　contains？　　and　the　very　publishing　it　proves；　that　either；　ye　do　not　believe　what　ye　profess；　or　have　not　virtue　enough　to　practise　what　ye　believe。

the　principles　of　quakerism　have　a　direct　tendency　to　make　a　man　the　quiet　and　inoffensive　subject　of　any；　and　every　government　which　is　set　over　him。　　and　if　the　setting　up　and　putting　down　of　kings　and　governments　is　gods　peculiar　prerogative；　he　most　certainly　will　not　be　robbed　thereof　by　us：　wherefore；　the　principle　itself　leads　you　to　approve　of　every　thing；　which　ever　happened；　or　may　happen　to　kings　as　being　his　work。　　oliver　cromwell　thanks　you。　　charles；　then；　died　not　by　the　hands　of　man；　and　should　the　present　proud　imitator　of　him；　e　to　the　same　untimely　end；　the　writers　and　publishers　of　the　testimony；　are　bound；　by　the　doctrine　it　contains；　to　applaud　the　fact。　　kings　are　not　taken　away　by　miracles；　neither　are　changes　in　governments　brought　about　by　any　other　means　than　such　as　are　mon　and　human；　and　such　as　we　are　now　using。　　even　the　dispersion　of　the　jews；　though　foretold　by　our　saviour；　was　effected　by　arms。　　wherefore；　as　ye　refuse　to　be　the　means　on　one　side；　ye　ought　not　to　be　meddlers　on　the　other；　but　to　wait　the　issue　in　silence；　and　unless　ye　can　produce　divine　authority；　to　prove；　that　the　almighty　who　hath　created　and　placed