Treatise Thoughts Upon Liberty
| Author | John Wesley |
|---|---|
| Type | treatise |
| Year | None |
| Passage ID | jw-treatise-thoughts-upon-liberty-002 |
| Words | 370 |
9. For many ages the free natives of Ireland, as well as the
Scottish Highlands, when it was convenient for them, made an
excursion from their woods or fastnesses, and carried off, for
their own proper use, the sheep, and oxen, and corn of their
neighbours. This was the liberty which the O'Neals, the Camp
bells, and many other septs and clans of venerable antiquity,
had received by immemorial tradition from their ancestors. 10. Almost all the soldiers in the Christian world, as well as
in the Mahometan and Pagan, have claimed, more especially
in time of war, another kind of liberty; that of borrowing the
wives and daughters of the men that fell into their hands;
sometimes, if they pleaded scruple of conscience or honour,
using a little necessary force. Perhaps this may be termed the
liberty of war. But I will not positively affirm, that it has never
been used in this free country, even in the time of peace. 11. In some countries of Europe, and indeed in England,
there have been instances of yet another sort of liberty, that
of calling a Monarch to account; and, if need were, taking
off his head; that is, if he did not behave in a dutiful
manner to our sovereign lords the people. 12. Now, that we may not always be talking at random,
but bring the matter to a determinate point, which of these
sorts of liberty do you desire? Is it the First sort; the
liberty of knocking on the head, or cutting the throats, of
those we are out of conceit with ? Glorious liberty indeed ! What would not king mob do to be gratified with it but for
a few weeks? But, I conceive, calm, sensible men do not
desire to see them entrusted with it. They apprehend there
might be some consequences which, upon the whole, would
not redound to the prosperity of the nation. 13. Is the Second more desirable; the liberty of taking,
when we see best, the goods and chattels of our neighbours? Undoubtedly, thousands in the good city of London (suppose
we made the experiment here first) would be above measure
rejoiced thereat, would leap as broke from chains.