The Digger Movement in the Days of the Commonwealth: As Revealed in the Writings of Gerrard Winstanley, the Digger, Mystic and Rationalist, Communist and Social ReformerBerens, Lewis Henry
History
The Digger Movement in the Days of the Commonwealth: As Revealed in the Writings of Gerrard Winstanley, the Digger, Mystic and Rationalist, Communist and Social Reformer
Berens, Lewis Henry
Communism; Land use; Winstanley, Gerrard, 1609-
"None will be an enemy to this Freedom, which, indeed, is to do to
another as a man would have another do to him, but Covetousness and
Pride, the spirit of the old grudging, snapping Pharisees, who give
God abundant of good words in their sermons, in their prayers, in
their fasts, and in their thanksgivings, as though none should be
more faithful servants to Him than they. Nay, they will shun the
company, imprison, and kill every one that will not worship God,
they are so zealous. Well now, God and Christ hath enacted an
everlasting Law, which is Love, not only one another of your own
mind, but love your enemies too, such as are not of your mind: and
having food and raiment therewith be content. Now here is a trial
for you, whether you will be faithful to God and Christ in obeying
His Laws; or whether you will destroy the man-child of true
Freedom, Righteousness and Peace, in his resurrection. And now thou
wilt either give us the tricks of a Soldier, face about, and return
to Egypt, and so declare thyself to be part of the Serpent's seed
that must bruise the heel of Christ. Or else to be one of the
plain-hearted Sons of Promise, or Members of Christ, who shall help
to bruise the Serpent's head, which is Kingly Oppression, and so
bring in everlasting Righteousness and Peace into the Earth. Well,
the eye is now open."
"STOREHOUSES SHALL BE BUILT AND APPOINTED IN ALL PLACES AND BE THE
COMMON STOCK.
"There shall be Storehouses in all places, both in the Country and
in Cities, to which all the fruits of the Earth, and other works
made by Tradesmen, shall be brought, and thence delivered out again
to particular Families, and to every one as they want for their
use; or else to be transplanted by ships to other Lands to exchange
for those things which our Land will not or does not afford. For
all the labors of Husbandmen and Tradesmen within the Land, or by
Navigation to or from other Lands, shall be upon the Common Stock.
And as everyone works to advance the Common Stock, so everyone
shall have a free use of any commodity in the Storehouse for his
pleasure and comfortable livelihood, without buying or selling or
restraint from any. Having food and raiment, lodging, and the
comfortable societies of his own kind, what can a man desire more
in these days of his travel? Indeed, covetous, proud, and beastly
minded men desire more, either to lay by them to look upon, or else
to waste and spoil it upon their lusts, while other Bretheren live
in straits for the want of the use thereof. But the Laws and
Faithful Officers of a Free Commonwealth do regulate the irrational
conduct of such men.
"THERE ARE TWO SORTS OF STOREHOUSES, GENERAL AND PARTICULAR.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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