Wesley Corpus

51. But you give them more encouragement still: “In the Netherlands, a few states thus circumstanced withstood the whole force of the Spanish monarchy; and, at last, emancipated themselves from its tyranny.” (Ibid.) Thus circumstanced : oBSERVATIONS ON LIBERTY. 115 No; they were in wholly different circumstances; they were cruelly and wantonly oppressed; they were robbed both of civil and religious liberty; they were slaughtered all the day long; and, during the contest, which was really for liberty, they were assisted by the German Princes, by England, and by France itself. But “what can thirty thousand men do, when they are to be fed from hence?” (Page 96.) Do you think they will stand with their finger in their eye? If they cannot find food at land, (which would be strange,) the seas and rivers are open. “Their maritime towns they are resolved to burn themselves.” They will think twice, before they execute that resolution. “As to their trade, the loss of it will do them unspeakable good.” Will it indeed? Then let them acknowledge their benefactors. “They rejoice particu larly in the last restraining Act: This will furnish them with a reason for confiscating the estates of all the friends of our Government among them.” (Page 97.) A reason / All the friends of our Government are infinitely obliged to you for suggesting this to them, who are full ready to improve any hint of the kind; and it will be no wonder if they soon use these enemies of their country as the Irish did the Protestants in 1641. 52. “One consideration more. From one end of America to the other, they are fasting and praying: But what are we doing? Ridiculing them as fanatics, and scoffing at religion.” This certainly is the case with many; but God forbid it should be the case with all ! There are thousands in England (I believe full as many, if not many more than in America) who are daily wrestling with God in prayer for a blessing upon their King and country; and many join fasting therewith; which, if it were publicly enjoined, would be no scandal to our nation. Are they “animated by piety?” So are we; although “not unto us be the praise.” “But can we declare, in the face of the sun, that we are not aggressors in this war?” We can.