Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-07-30

IN the free exercise of their own conscience
enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they had
| right to interpret the Scriptures for them
| selves. They believed that God, although
a beneFolenr Father was yet jealoiss towards
disotedieEce Of his revealed aoiH, and woul,
| punish conscious neglect of lis command
ments
This body of men, with these views att
principles we're the Puritans.' ssThey came
Into the world TO save the world from des-
Potism; and the world comprehended then
| not" And even now, some would deny
them that glorious part which God caused
| them to perform in the struggle for civil and
religious 5ibafty- They fe'fased to aegniesce
| in this compromise of Queen Elizabeth, Be-
| cause ifinvolved a Surrender of natural rights
and q dereiiction from duty toward Cod
They were however true Christians, hence
| while they claimed to act in accordance with
| their own conscienees, they were willing to
grant The same privileges to others, that they
claimed for themselves; hence they did not
set uptheir convictions Of duty as standard
for others, who subscribed to the christian
faith; bun allowed to all their fellow subjects
the same broad religious liberty which they
claimed 10 enjoy. They persisted in nom
conformity to the prescribed mode of wor-
ship. And the more they were pressed the
more strongly did they resist, and the stronger
the resistance, the more severe their perse-
cutien. The Puritans bore, unfinchingly,
! their testimony against the compromise. In
conseqaeHce of this they were for more than
one hundred years virtually outsawed as
citizens and subjects, and outcasts from
the established Church; but they bore it all,
firmly adhering to their principles, before
magistrates and councils, in the pillory, un-
der stripes, in marches, in camps, in prison,
in light, in exile, among licentious soldiery
and dfsso1ute companions, in neighboring
lands, on the broad ocean, when the mari
ners lost their compass, and when the ship
supplies became scanty, and her seams OPEN
ed to the waves, and on unknown coasts
houseless and homeless. famIshing and Gy-
ing in the forest, surrounded with snow and
ice, contending with savage beasts. and
more savage men. Thus faithful to their
principles, the compromise policy failed;
civil and religious liberty was not crushed
out or destroyed, but it arose erect,it trium-
phed, and tits still gaining new ami wider
fields. And tyrants have trembled OF their
thrones, as tHey haKe read OF its powerful
and glorious progress.
The Pur;tans thus persisted and prevailed
because they had adopted one true and SUBJ
hme principle Of civil conduct, namely. "that
a subjec, IN any state has a natural right TO
liberty of consciece.' And this great and
f'obte 2uncfFIs they had learned ftom the
work of God.
They did not claim to derive tie right OF
toleratiorff from the common law, or the
sta tutes of the realm, or even from that
Imaginary contract between the sovereign and
the sablect, which some had invented about
tIfat time as a basis of civil rights. Tney
resorted at once to that older and broader
law, that law which was more stuble than ali
these; law universal in its application and
in its obligation; established by the Creator
of all things, and Judge of all men, and there
fore paramount to all known constitutions.
Such was the source from which, they
claimed to derive their right of thinking
aud acting for themselves in religious
matters. They did not lay claim to the
discovery of this great principle, or to the pro-
mitigation oft for others had talked fit, and
wrote about it. Theirs consisted in having re-
duced the principle TO actual and effective ap-
pication as a rule by which to be governed
in political conduct.
In acting upon this principle they did not
wish to be dsloyal subjects, they would not
trample upon the laws Of their government
with i'm punity NOR disregard their rightiu SOW
origins, and they would not appeal from these
eny as they appealed to higher power
And while they regarded themselves subjects
to civil magistrates, they at the same time
themselves as subjects to a still
higher potrer; and it was only when civil
la Iawinlringed upon the right OF corseieneetlat
they claimed the right to disregard that las
They revered the Paw Of magistrates, but
they revered the law OF God more.
Listen 10 the manner in which they spoke
cpou this point, when imprisoned:
%Upon a careful examination of the Holy |
Scriptures, we find the English hierarchy to
be different from Christ's institution; and to
be derived from Anlichrist, being the same
the Pope left in this land, to which we dare
not subject ourselves. We farther find that
God has commanded all that believe the gos-
pei to walk in that holy patlrand order which
he has appointed in his church. Wherefore,
in the reverend fear of his name, we have
loiaed ourselves together, and subjected our
souls and bodies 10 those laws and ordinances,
and have CHOSEN to ourselves such ministry
Of pastors, teachers, elders, and deacotssj as
CHRIST has given to his church ON earth to
the world's end, hoping for the promised as
sistance of his grace in our attendance upon
him, Notwithstanding any prohibition of men,
DR. what by men can be done unto as. We
lre ready to prove our church order to be
warranted by the word of God, allowable by
ler MIjesty's laws, and no ways preiudicial
o the sovereign power, and to disprove the
public hierarchy worship, and government,
,y such evidence as our adversaries shall not
De able to withstand, protesting, ic we fail
herein, not only willingly to sustain such de-
served punishment shall be inflicted upon
ns, but to become conformable for the future,
# we overthrow not our aGversaries.
We therefore in the name of GOD and of our
the Queen, pray that we may
have the benefit of the laws and of the pub
Itch charters of the land, namely, that we
may be received to bail, till we be by order
Of law convicted of some crime deserving OF
bonds. We plight our faith unto God and our
allegiance to her majesty, that we will not
commit anything unworthy of The gospel OF
Christ, or 10 the disturbance of any common
peace and good order of the lard, and that
we will be forthcoming at such reasonable
warning as your lordships shall comma nd
Oh, let US not perish before trial and judg-
neDt, especially inploriRg and crying out to
you for the same. However, we take The
Lord of Heaven and Earth, and his angels,
together with your Own coBsciences, and all
persons in all ages, to whom this our suPpf-
cation may eonae, 10 witness that we have
here truly advertised your honors OF our case
and maze, and have in all hnrnility offered to