THE PETITION

OF

CERTAIN CHRISTIAN PEOPLE

RESIDENT IN LONDON,

ΤΟ

THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,

PRAYING FOR RELIEF IN THE MATTER OF

OATH S.

WITH NOTES

BY ONE OF THE PETITIONERS.

Mihi, quanto plura recentium seu veterum revolvo, tanto magis ludibria rerum mortalium cunctis in negotiis obversantur.

TACITUS.

[First Published 1822.]

ADVERTISEMENT.

For the NOTES, which are subjoined to the following PETITION, I am solely and individually responsible. I have been induced to draw them up, by the hope of exciting the attention of some of our Legislators to an application for relief, which seems to have hitherto failed of attracting any notice.

On the question of the expediency of the publication, different opinions may be entertained: and I have not had an opportunity of consulting many, to whose judgment on the occasion I should have been disposed to pay considerable deference. I think it therefore needful to exonerate them from all responsibility for the publication, by annexing to it my name.

The very grave complexion of some of the Notes, may perhaps deter many from looking at them. But I am more apprehensive of censure, from those whose censure I should most apprehend, for

having ventured, in other passages, upon some topics which involve considerations of legislative policy. In this certainly I have departed from my own usual course: yet, I hope, with such temperance of remark, as will exempt me from the charge of having departed from the CHRISTIAN character.

Camden Street, Camden Town,
London.

JOHN WALKer.

THE PETITION.

To the Honourable the House of COMMONS of The UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND, in Parliament assembled.

The PETITION of the undersigned CHRISTIAN people, resident in London, and sometimes distinguished by the name of SEPA

RATISTS,

Humbly Sheweth,

THAT Your Petitioners, as Christians, (A.) are peaceable and wellaffected subjects of the State; thankful for the many blessings which they enjoy under its mild and tolerant Government; and mindful of the divine authority which binds them to obey the powers that be, as ordained of GOD, and to suffer patiently whatever they may be called to suffer for conscience sake.

That they think it, however, consistent with this Christian duty, to renew their yearly appeal to the wisdom, justice, and humanity of Your Honourable House, for relief from the many trying losses and penalties to which they are subject, according to the existing laws of this country, in consequence of their obedience to the express command of CHRIST (B.) not to swear at all by any oath.

That Your Petitioners have long publicly maintained, and (as they are persuaded) sufficiently proved, that they act only according to the real meaning of that divine prohibition in refusing to take any oath and that while the sincerity of their conviction is established by the severe forfeitures which many in their Churches have actually incurred (C.), and the still more severe sufferings to which they are all continually exposed;-the arguments by which they have publicly supported their sentiment have never yet, as far as they know, been even plausibly answered.

That Your Petitioners with all humility submit it to Your consideration, whether, in a country in which CHRISTIANITY professedly forms part of the law of the land (D.), it be not inconsistent that Christians should be subject to fines, imprisonment, forfeitures of

various kinds, and general insecurity both of person and property, for obeying a plain Christian precept.

That, among many other sufferings and hardships, Your Petitioners are at present disqualified for acting as Executors to a Will; disqualified for answering any Bill which may be filed against them in Chancery, however false and iniquitous; disqualified for proving a debt under a commission of Bankruptcy; disqualified for obtaining a Certificate, if any of them should become Bankrupts, as well as for availing themselves of the Act for the relief of Insolvent Debtors; and in a great measure disqualified for acting either as Masters or Servants in importing, exporting, or manufacturing all articles connected with the Customs or Excise and that from their inability to give legal evidence, they are continually liable to heavy penalties for apparent contempt of the Courts of Justice; although they are, from principle, among the most loyal subjects of the State, and dare not disobey its authorities -except when commanded to do that which the law of God forbids.

That Your Petitioners also beg leave humbly to represent to Your Honourable House, that no political inconvenience (E.) has been found to result from the indulgence, which the Legislature has long extended to the people called Quakers, of substituting a solemn affirmation for (F.) the imprecatory engagement of an oath :-that a participation in the same indulgence is the utmost to which Your Petitioners aspire-and that if they obtain it, they must still remain subject to such civil privations and disadvantages, as may evidence the sincerity of their conscientious scruple; and may therefore afford a reasonable security that their solemn Affirmation is equally credible with an Oath.

That Your Petitioners therefore again humbly pray for (G.) such relief in the premises, as to Your legislative wisdom shall seem meet.

NOTES.

A. (page 2.)

Your Petitioners, as Christians, are peaceable and well-affected, &c. -On this topic I should wish to speak a plain language; though aware that, even here, the knowledge of our sentiments is little calculated to recommend us in the eyes of any party in the State.

We professedly belong to a kingdom, which is not of this world: and the principles of it debar us from intermeddling in the various political contests, which agitate the country.-For the peace and true prosperity of our country we pray and to its Rulers, whoever they be, and whatever their measures, we find ourselves called by

the word of God to yield implicit subjection. The unpopular principle of passive obedience and non-resistance, which that word binds us to adopt as disciples of Christ, we adopt not politically, but religiously. Finding it plainly enforced on CHRISTIANS in the Scriptures, we have nothing to do with the question, whether it accord or not with the principles of the British constitution; nor with the consideration, what the consequences might be, if all the inhabitants of the country were of the same mind with us. Indeed we are, and ever must be, a sect so small, that the world can suffer no loss from our declining to interfere in its contentions.

Yet, while we thus own ourselves bound to act as quiet and submissive subjects of any government, under which the providence of GOD may place us, we are by no means insensible to the many peculiar claims upon our grateful attachment, which bind us to the government of this favoured land. We reckon it one of them, that we can from time to time make such a temperate appeal to the Legislature, as the present, for obtaining relief from any hardships under which we lie and that we are encouraged to look for that relief by the fact, that others have long ago obtained it.

B. (page 2.)

The express command of Christ, not to swear at all by any Oath.— Though we have no desire to obtrude on the attention of the world the views of Scripture, upon which our own practice in this and other matters is founded; yet it here seems to me not inexpedient to offer a few remarks on the divine command referred to, and on the glosses by which it is commonly set aside: and this, in order to clear us from the imputation of having, with inconsiderate levity or wild enthusiasm, taken up an interpretation of the passage inconsistent with its real meaning.

Matt. v. 33-37. Again ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication (Aoyos) be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

""

I would remark, in the first place, that the words “ I say unto you, SWEAR NOT AT ALL," and the corresponding precept in Jam. v. 12; Swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath," appear at the first view so plain, so comprehensive, so absolutely definitive; that it should require very cogent arguments indeed to set aside their literal and obvious import. Perhaps I might say, that if it were the design of any speaker to prohibit all Oaths,-under whatever circumstances, and on whatever occasion,-it is hard to conceive what language could be employed for the purpose, more clear and more emphatic, than the language in these passages of sacred writ.