《Common Sense》第19章

ine　authority；　to　prove；　that　the　almighty　who　hath　created　and　placed　this　new　world；　at　the　greatest　distance　it　could　possibly　stand；　east　and　west；　from　every　part　of　the　old；　doth；　nevertheless；　disapprove　of　its　being　independent　of　the　corrupt　and　abandoned　court　of　britain；　unless　i　say；　ye　can　shew　this；　how　can　ye　on　the　ground　of　your　principles；　justify　the　exciting　and　stirring　up　the　people　〃firmly　to　unite　in　the　abhorrence　of　all　such　writings；　and　measures；　as　evidence　a　desire　and　design　to　break　off　the　happy　connexion　we　have　hitherto　enjoyed；　with　the　kingdom　of　great…britain；　and　our　just　and　necessary　subordination　to　the　king；　and　those　who　are　lawfully　placed　in　authority　under　him。〃　what　a　slap　of　the　face　is　here！　the　men；　who　in　the　very　paragraph　before；　have　quietly　and　passively　resigned　up　the　ordering；　altering；　and　disposal　of　kings　and　governments；　into　the　hands　of　god；　are　now；　recalling　their　principles；　and　putting　in　for　a　share　of　the　business。
is　it　possible；　that　the　conclusion；　which　is　here　justly　quoted；　can　any　ways　follow　from　the　doctrine　laid　down？ the　inconsistency　is　too　glaring　not　to　be　seen；　the　absurdity　too　great　not　to　be　laughed　at；　and　such　as　could　only　have　been　made　by　those；　whose　understandings　were　darkened　by　the　narrow　and　crabby　spirit　of　a　despairing　political　party；　for　ye　are　not　to　be　considered　as　the　whole　body　of　the　quakers　but　only　as　a　factional　and　fractional　part　thereof。
here　ends　the　examination　of　your　testimony；　（which　i　call　upon　no　man　to　abhor；　as　ye　have　done；　but　only　to　read　and　judge　of　fairly；）　to　which　i　subjoin　the　following　remark；　〃that　the　setting　up　and　putting　down　of　kings；〃　most　certainly　mean；　the　making　him　a　king；　who　is　yet　not　so；　and　the　making　him　no　king　who　is　already　one。 and　pray　what　hath　this　to　do　in　the　present　case？ we　neither　mean　to　set　up　nor　to　pull　down；　neither　to　make　nor　to　unmake；　but　to　have　nothing　to　do　with　them。
wherefore；　your　testimony　in　whatever　light　it　is　viewed　serves　only　to　dishonor　your　judgement；　and　for　many　other　reasons　had　better　have　been　let　alone　than　published。
first；　because　it　tends　to　the　decrease　and　reproach　of　all　religion　whatever；　and　is　of　the　utmost　danger　to　society　to　make　it　a　party　in　political　disputes。
secondly；　because　it　exhibits　a　body　of　men；　numbers　of　whom　disavow　the　publishing　political　testimonies；　as　being　concerned　therein　and　approvers　thereof。
thirdly；　because　it　hath　a　tendency　to　undo　that　continental　harmony　and　friendship　which　yourselves　by　your　late　liberal　and　charitable　donations　hath　lent　a　hand　to　establish；　and　the　preservation　of　which；　is　of　the　utmost　consequence　to　us　all。
and　here　without　anger　or　resentment　i　bid　you　farewell。
sincerely　wishing；　that　as　men　and　christians；　ye　may　always　fully　and　uninterruptedly　enjoy　every　civil　and　religious　right；　and　be；　in　your　turn；　the　means　of　securing　it　to　others；　but　that　the　example　which　ye　have　unwisely　set；　of　mingling　religion　with　politics；　may　be　disavowed　and　reprobated　by　every　inhabitant　of　_america。_ f　i　n　i　s。 。
m。
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