"Here is slavery, real slavery indeed, most properly so called. For the regular, legal, constitutional form of government is no more. Here is real, not imaginary, bondage: Not the shadow of English liberty is left. Not only no liberty of the press is allowed, -- none dare print a page, or a line, unless it be exactly conformable to the sentiments of our lords, the people, -- but no liberty of speech. Their tongue is not their own. None must dare to utter one word, either in favour of King George, or in disfavour of the idol they have set up, -- the new, illegal, unconstitutional government, utterly unknown to us and to our forefathers. Here is no religious liberty; no liberty of conscience for them that 'honour the king,' and whom, consequently, a sense of duty prompts them to defend from the vile calumnies continually vented against him. Here is no civil liberty; no enjoying the fruit of their labour, any further than the populace pleases. A man has no security for his trade, his house, his property, unless he will swim with the stream. Nay, he has no security for his life, if his popular neighbour has a mind to cut his throat: For there is no law; and no legal magistrate to take cognizance of offences. There is the gulf of tyranny, -- of arbitrary power on one hand, and of anarchy on the other."
I realize this is one loooooong quote, but I couldn't just pick and choose bits of it. I believe that John Wesley has a good point here. When I first looked at it, I thought to myself, "Wow, he is really twisting the facts to make Great Britain seem like the only place where good exists/existed upon this earth. The only way to be happy is to have our Lord and King ruling over you." (Imagine that said in a stuffy Lordly voice because that's what was in my head). But then I read it and started thinking to myself that he made some good points, and that his statements can apply to more than just England. It applies even to us today. There are laws in the USA that prevent us from doing certain things. Does that mean we are not truly free? Some would think that since we can't kill someone without consequences we are not truly free. Think about it... We could go fishing, build a house, sit and read a book, or do anything but kill a person. Just because you can't do one thing doesn't mean you're not free. It all depends on the way that you view things. So there's a few of my thoughts. Hope you like!
P.S.-- I commented on "Laissez Fair and the Economy" by Meghan
Ryan, I see what you're saying with this. I agree that he may have been saying that Great Britain is the only one who should make the rules. Scripture does state, however, that the inhabitants are to obey the laws of the land. This should include the colonies in America. That is one thing I do not like so much about our history. We broke away from a government for more than just religious freedom. Soon, it had become no longer about religious freedom, but about the "fairness" of laws. I still have questions regarding this rebellion we staged.
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