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A Looking-Glass for Presbyterians (Inscribed: J. Arbo) - 23

However some particular Friends have suffer'd themselves to be distrain'd upon, rather than pay Taxes towards carrying on the War, yet they have been always passive without the least murmuring. The Number that entertain these conscientious Scruples is but small, the Majority of that good People having always contributed their Quota as chearfully as any other Society. How therefore Presbyterians or those who write in their behalf, can have the Assurance to cast this in their Teeth, above all other People (when they know that they have carried this Point further than any Quakers ever did in the World) is a Piece of Effrontery that can only be fitted to their own Foreheads.

In a Book call'd the Hind let loose which is almost as sacred among them as the Confession of Faith, Page 701, I find this Declaration.

The exacting Taxations for maintaining the Army, and the paying of Subsidies, was, and remains to be a consuming crimson wickedness, the cry whereof reaches to Heaven.
 
In the same Author, Page 912, I find Words to this Purport, The paying of Subsidies to the present Government, is to furnish that Party of the Dragon's Legions, in their War against Michael with Supplies, which no Body can excuse no more than sheding the Blood of their innocent Children to Molach.—Now did ever any Quaker make use of such vile Language against the Government? Did ever a Quaker reckon the granting of Supplies for the King's Use as crying a Sin as the sacrificing innocent Children to the Devil?

I appeal to the impartial Part of the Presbyterians themselves, if they think, that our Representatives can have any Thing else in View but the Good of their Country, in the Struggle they make in Behalf of the Liberties of the Province,—I have often heard that Parliament Men have been blam'd and censur'd for selling themselves and their Country, to wicked Ministers of State, for a Bribe, Place or Pension, but never for opposing illegal Taxes; arbitrary Power; or Ministerial Corruption.—The ever memorable Hambden in the Reign of Charles the1st, rather than pay an illegal Tax of 30 S. (a much less Sum than 110 pounds demanded by the P—r according to his own Calculation) went to Jail; by which noble stand the Liberties of England were in a great Measure preserv'd. Must it not be an everlasting Blot in the Character of the Presbyterians, that they are the only People in P—a, among all the Nations, Sects and Professions settled in it, that will assist a T—l Landlord to distress and oppress his Tenants;—a Land lord, who cannot be contented wirh his Legal Dues, but wants the People to pay his Taxes for him into the Bargain, and if he cannot persuade them to pay the whole, wou'd rather (like Murtah O Lavery) take the one Third of a farthing, than go away with nothing at all.

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