A Looking-Glass for Presbyterians (Inscribed: J. Arbo) - 12
Our Author makes a tedious Harrangue about the Quakers for once taking up arms to defend themselves, when the city appear'd to be in the utmost danger of massacre, Plunder and desolation, attended with a total overthrow of the very being of our constitution. This is a similar case to that at the Revolution. No one precept in the Gospel is more powerfully enforc'd than obedience to the King; absolute necessity, however, for once compell'd the English Nation, at the Revolution, to dispense with this positive command. Now will our Author be so hardy as to ask, if these are the people, who always profess obedience to the King according to a divine command;" and then conclude; "what amazing hypocrisy appears in their profession." "They must either confess that they have hitherto resisted the blessed Gospel, or that the Holy Spirit has given them a new Gospel contradictory to the old one; but this is to blaspheme God, and belie the Holy Ghost; yet such is their conduct. This is the force of his Argument when applied to the Revolution; and any one wou'd certainly conclude that our Author by his manner of reasoning was a Nonjuror: And indeed I am apt to believe there is something in it; for I never heard that Presbyterian Ministers in this country were oblig'd to take the Oaths to the Government, or give any other test of their fidelity to the King. Whoever heard a Presbyterian Sermon upon the duty of submission to the present establishment? Are not the Covenanters preaching against his Majesty every day, and all by the direction of the Spirit? Four different sorts of Presbyterians have all in the name of the Blessed Spirit damn'd each other in Pennsylvania. Must not each party have belied the Blessed Spirit, in anouncing contradictory and blasphemous Anathemas in his name? But to conclude. Beware, my Countrymen, of men who wou'd cram Laws down your throats with muskets, daggers, tomahawks and scalping-knives. Give me leave to recommend to you a spirit of watchfulness and jealousy. The Inhabitants of Pennsylvania enjoy the most extensive privileges both civil and religious of any people in the world. Let us then, like true Britons, warmly oppose any that wou'd presume to deprive us of them! Let us boldly contend for the cause of Liberty and our Country, and never be pusillanimous or supine when we see men of bad principles at work behind the curtain, to wrest them out of our hands! Let us as we value every thing that is dear and sacred to us, endeavour to suppress the present prevailing faction! And finally, let us exert all our influence and power to keep the Reigns of Government out of the hands of Presbyterians (which can be done no other way than by placing ourselves under the protection of our gracious and royal Master, King George the third of blessed memory) as we are convinc'd, thoroughly convinc'd, of their unfitness to govern both by experience and undeniable instances from History!
