The Gracious Designs of God, Accomplished by the Malice of His Enemies: Being the Substance of an Address, Delivered on Wednesday, November 24th, 1819, at the Surrey Tabernacle, by J. Church, Being the Day of His Deliverance.Church, J. (John)
Religion
The Gracious Designs of God, Accomplished by the Malice of His Enemies: Being the Substance of an Address, Delivered on Wednesday, November 24th, 1819, at the Surrey Tabernacle, by J. Church, Being the Day of His Deliverance.
Church, J. (John)
Church, J. (John), approximately 1780-approximately 1825
While I am daily praying for grace, to walk worthy the honour done me, as
it respects my long afflictions and deep distresses of mind, I shall not
work upon your feelings in the detail of them, suffice it to say, that I
shall ever maintain that it was the most weak, cruel, and scandalous
prosecution, which ever took place in this highly favored land—had it
been justly merited, these were, besides the prosecution, such
unparalleled cruelties exercised towards me, as perhaps were never known
in the memory of man; but I forgive the prosecutor, and consider him only
as the tool of a party, and may God pardon his falsehoods. But I cannot
easily forget the cruelty and joyful malice of little Doeg the Edomite,
Saul and Nabal, Rabshakeh, Rab Mag, Rab Saris, Samgar Nebo, and Nergal
Sharezer.
That the honorable and learned Judge, who tried the cause, should act as
he did, was not to be wondered at, when we reflect upon the
misrepresentations which were made to him; nor could any other verdict be
expected from a jury, however candid and impartial, when we call to mind
the circulation of the many thousand scandalous pamphlets, filled with
the most abominable falsehood—it is computed that above ten thousands
were circulated in a very few days, and some thousands which contained a
hundred palpable lies—What other verdict could naturally be expected? I
beg leave, however to state, that I am not the less affected to the Law
of the Land, because I have been so severely and cruelly handled; the
situation I have just left has given me all opportunity to appreciate
their value. I shall ever reverence and esteem them, and endeavour to
obey them, with the Laws of Christ; and in reference to myself, in my own
individual circumstances, I have paid the debt for the supposed violation
of them. Whether guilty or not, is not _now_ the point, the debt of
_long_ affliction is paid, not do I wish my most inveterate foes to pass
through three such painful years as I have. I trust, however, they are
satisfied. I only aimed at giving satisfaction, by enduring the heavy
penalty; I might have avoided it, by quitting the country, after paying
the bail, which was but twenty pounds each; but I was conscious I had
done nothing of a criminal nature, that I was quite innocent of the
intent imputed to me—Why then should I gratify the wishes of certain
parties, by flying from my country and friends? The _Laws_ of the land
are satisfied; the _Prosecutor_ is satisfied, although he had declared to
many that I was guilty of _no_ assault whatever. Little _Doeg_ the
Edomite, is satisfied, although I never injured him, or spake
disrespectfully of his family; he is, no doubt, well pleased with the
long train of my inconceivable sorrows, the tears and distresses of my
children, and the grief of thousands. _Many_ connected with the business
are satisfied, being well paid for their trouble. _Envious Preachers_
are satisfied, that my popularity and public usefulness is for ever at an
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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