date

1822 April 12 Rid Yourselves
1822 April 12

Rid Yourselves

Lett. 17

Relinquishment entire

See now on this point how it is with Monarchs: and in particular with

that God on earth, who, having, in the most distinct terms, been so long ago invested

by lawyers and their fictions with the attributes of omnipresence immortaility and

impeccability, has insensibly become invested with the too real attribute of

omnipotence, and is worshipped, in conjunction with the the God of Heaven, by the

prosecutors of blasphemy and their dupes.

On the ocasion of the war which ended in the independence of the

Anglo-American United States, Tucker, Dean of Gloucester, wrote against the policy of it. The pamphlet made a

sensation. I read it at the time. Cui bono? was the title

of it. When public spirit, or whatever else was the motive, drew from him a breach so

conspicuous of the sacred law of passive obedience, the Dean, it may well be

concluded, had no great expectation of ever seeing himself a Bishop: if he had, it

was not realized: mammon in these its richest shapes went of course to the supporters

of the fruitless slaughter. Trusting however to the composing influence of time, -

not many years after, when some of the evidence I have been laying before you had

made its appearance, this more honest than successful monitor ventured to place

himself in the circle at a levee. So far as words went Majesty was now become

gracious. Mention being made of the Colonies "Well Mr Dean (said he) "we begin to be

of your opinion: we find we are as well without them as with them." A few hours after

the words were uttered, they were reported to me by one by whom they had been heard.

As far as words went, here was wisdom: wisdom or to speak

more correctly probity. But in deeds - but in deeds did the probity ever follow? Oh

no: but instead of it, the course marked out by the opposite improbity not only then

was, but ever since has been pursued: pursued with that eagerness and that disastrous

success, of which the bitter fruits continue to be forced down our throats in such

sad abundance. Witness the last gathered of them - the Ionian Isles and that English

" protection" the infamy of which, without any of the

profit, vies so successfully with that of the primaeval Persian tyranny.

As to those emancipated children, after parting with whom the Royal

father found himself so well at ease - could he but have prevailed on the necessary

instruments to keep work g on, best of

Kings (for by whom could this appelation ever be refused to the husband of the

fruitfullest of Queens?) best of Kings and fathers would

have drained all his other children of their last farthing, rather than have left

unsubdued and unpunished, any of those rebellious ones to whose rebellion their

consequent virtue and felicity has given whatsoever could be wanting for its

justification. All this is human, and of course more

particularly regal nature; pride forbids the confession of

miscarriage; love of power forbids the parting with any the least scrap of the

fascinating appendage, how troublesome soever so long as any the faintest hope of

keeping it can be kept.

End of this Letter.
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    Lett. 17. Relinquishm t entire

    See now on this point how it is with Monarchs; and in particular with

    that King /God upon earth/ having in the most distinct terms been long ago invested

    by lawyers with the attributes of omniprescence immortality and impunibility, been

    now insensibly been invested with the too real attribute of omnipotence, and is

    worshipped in conjunction with the God of heaven by corruptionists and their dupes.

    On the occasion of the war what ended in the independence of the

    Anglo-American United States, Tucker, Dean of Gloucester wrote against the policy of

    it. The pamphlet made a sensation. I read it at the time. Qui

    bono? was the title of it. Where public spirit, or whatever else was the

    motive that drew from him a breach so conspicuous of the sacred law of passive

    obedience, the Dean, it may well be concluded, had no great expectation of war seeing

    himself a Bishop, if he had, it was not realized: mammon in those its visited shapes

    went of course to the supporters of the fruitless slaughter. Trusting however to the

    composing influence of time, not many years after, where some of the evidence I have

    been laying before you had made its appearance, the more honest than successful

    monitor ventured to place himself in the circle at a [...?] As far as words went,

    Majesty was now become gracious. Mention being made of the Colonies "Well M r Dean" (said George the third) we beging to be of your opinion:

    we find we are as well without those as with them." A few hours after they were

    uttered the words were reported to me by one by whom they had been heard. As far as

    words went, here was wisdom: wisdom, or to speak more

    correctly, probity. But in deeds

    - in deeds did the probity ever follow? Oh no: but instead of it, the course marked

    out by the opposite improbity has ever since been pursued: pursued with that

    eagerness, and that disastrous success, of which we the bitter fruits are year by

    year forced down our throats.
  • Title: [1822 April 11 Rid Yourselves]
    Description: 1822 April 11

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    As to the emancipated children after parting with whom the royal

    fathers found himself so well at ease,- could he but have prevailed on the necessary

    instruments to work on, but of Kings (for by whom could this appellation ever be

    refused to the husband of the trustfullest of Queens?) but of Kings would have

    drained England of the last man and the last farthing, rather than have unsubdued and

    unpunished any such acknowledged benefactors. All this is human, and of cours, more

    particularly, regal, nature: pride forbids the confession of miscarriage: love of

    power forbids the parting with any the least scrap of the fascinating appendage, how

    troublesome so ever, so long as any the faintest hopes of keeping it can be kept:
  • Title: [1816 Epistles of John I John]
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    I John Ch. IV

    Verses 21

    1

    1 to 3. Warning against false prophets and Antichrist. Every spirit confessing that Jesus is come in the flesh, is of God. Every d o not d o is not. This is the spirit of Antichrist, already in the world.

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    4 Ye are of God and have overcome them: because he that is in you is greater than he in the world.

    3

    5. 6. ‘They are of the world … the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us: he that is not of God, heareth not us. ib. V. 19. D o and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

    4

    7 to 21. Quibbles about love and God. Love is of God and is God: as he loved us so ought we one another. He sent his son to be a propitiation for our sin.

    5

    12 (Mark the connection) ‘No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

    6

    13 to 17. More about two persons each dwelling in the other. ‘God is love, he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

    7

    18 to 21. Perfect love casteth out fear. We love him because he first loved us. If a man

    say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.

    I John Ch. V.

    Verses 21

    1

    1 to 5. If we keep God’s commandments we are born of God and overcome the world by faith.

    2

    6. 7. 8. Nonsense about spirit, water and blood. text. Three that bear record in heaven Father, Word &Holy Ghost: these three one. Three bear witness on earth, spirit, water and blood: these agree in one.

    3

    9. to 13. Nonsense about witnessing God and his son and being made a liar by not believing and having the son, and having life.

    4

    14. 15. Ask and have.

    5

    16. 17. 18. 19. Stark nonsense about sin unto and not unto death. All unrighteousness is sin. We know that are in God all the world lieth in wickedness.

    6

    20. 21. The son of God is come, and we are in him. He is eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

    N.B. The whole so nonsensical and desultory that by nothing but an exact copy can any tolerably adequate account be given of it, viz. of this whole Epistle.

    II John Ch. I the only one

    Verses 13.

    1

    1 to 4 The elder unto the elect Lady, and her children — Compliments — her children walk in truth.

    2

    5. 6. Now as before I beseech you, that we love one another. Walking after God’s commandments in love.

    3

    7 to 11. Old story about unnamed deceivers.

    If any come, and bring not the doctrine of Christ, receive him not unto your House: bidding him God speed, you are a partaker of his evil deeds.

    4

    12. 13. I write the less, meaning to come to you. ‘The children of the elect sister greet thee.

    III. John Ch. I the only one

    Verses 14.

    1

    1 The elder unto the well— beloved Gaius.

    2

    2. 3. 4. I wish you well because you walk in truth.

    3

    5 to 8. Gaius commended for his ‘charity before the Church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou doest well. Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow—helpers to the truth.’

    4

    9. 10. 11. Vituperation of Diotrephes ‘prating against us with malicious words, he receiveth not the brethren, he forbiddeth them that would, and casteth thee out of the Church.

    5

    12. Laud of Demetrius. All report well, and John testifies well, of him.

    6

    13. 14. Much be writing but that I shall soon see you. Peace and salutations.