John Winthrop’s "Little Speech on Liberty" (1645) inJohn
Winthrop, The History of New England, from 1630 to 1649 (Boston:
Little Brown and Company, 1853), 2:*228-30.
I suppose something may be expected from me upon this charge that is
befallen me, which moves me to speak now to you; yet I intend not to
intermeddle in the proceedings of the court, or with any of the persons
concerned therein. Only I bless God that I see an issue of this
troublesome business. I also acknowledge the justice of the court, and,
for mine own part, I am well satisfied, I was publicly charged, and I am
publicly and legally acquitted, which is all I did expect or desire. And
though this be sufficient for my justification before men, yet not so
before the God who hath seen so much amiss in my dispensations (and even
in this affair) as calls me to be humble. For to be publicly and
criminally charged in this court is matter of humiliation (and I desire
to make a right use of it), notwithstanding I be thus acquitted. If her
father had spit in her face (saith the Lord concerning Miriam), should
she not have been ashamed seven days? Shame had lien upon her, whatever
the occasion had been. I am unwilling to stay you from your urgent
affairs, yet give me leave (upon this special occasion) to speak a
little more to this assembly. It may be of some good use to inform and
rectify the judgments of some of the people, and may prevent such
distempers as have arisen amongst us. The great questions that have
troubled the country are about the authority of the magistrates and the
liberty of the people. It is yourselves who have called us to this
office, and, being called by you, we have our authority from God, in way
of an ordinance, such as hath the image of God eminently stamped upon
it, the contempt and violation whereof hath been vindicated with
examples of divine vengeance. I entreat you to consider that, when you
choose magistrates, you take them from among yourselves, men subject to
like passions as you are. Therefore, when you see infirmities in us, you
should reflect upon your own, and that would make you bear the more with
us, and not be severe censurers of the failings of your magistrates,
when you have continual experience of the like infirmities in yourselves
and others. We account him a [*229] good servant who breaks not
his covenant. The covenant between you and us is the oath you have taken
of us, which is to this purpose, that we shall govern you and judge your
causes by the rules of God’s laws and our own, according to our best
skill. When you agree with a workman to build you a ship or house, etc.,
he undertakes as well for his skill as for his faithfulness; for it is
his profession, and you pay him for both. But, when you call one to be a
magistrate, he doth not profess nor undertake to have sufficient skill
for that office, nor can you furnish him with gifts, etc., therefore you
must run the hazard of his skill and ability. But if he fail in
faithfulness, which by his oath he is bound unto, that he must answer
for. If it fall out that the case be clear to common apprehension, and
the rule clear also, if he transgress here, the error is not in the
skill, but in the evil of the will: it must be required of him. But if
the case be doubtful, or the rule doubtful, to men of such understanding
and parts as your magistrates are, if your magistrates should err here,
yourselves must bear it.
For the other point concerning liberty, I observe a great mistake in
the country about that. There is a twofold liberty, natural (I mean as
our nature is now corrupt) and civil or federal. The first is common to
man with beasts and other creatures. By this, man as he stands in
relation to man simply, hath liberty to do what he lists: it is a
liberty to evil as well as to good. This liberty is incompatible and
inconsistent with authority, and cannot endure the least restraint of
the most just authority. The exercise and maintaining of this liberty
makes men grow more evil, and in time to be worse than brute beasts:
omnes sumus licentia deteriores. This is that great enemy of truth and
peace, that wild beast, which all the ordinances of God are bent
against, to restrain and subdue it. The other kind of liberty I call
civil or federal; it may also be termed moral, in reference to the
covenant between God and man, in the moral law, and the politic
covenants and constitutions, amongst men themselves. This liberty is the
proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and
it is a liberty to that only which is good, just, and honest. This
liberty you are to stand for, with the hazard (not only of your goods,
but) of your lives, if need be. Whatsoever crosseth this is not
authority, but a distemper thereof. This liberty is maintained and
exercised in a way of subjection to authority; it is of the same kind of
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. The woman’s own choice
makes such a man her husband; yet, being so chosen, he is her lord, and
she is to be subject to him, yet in a way of liberty, not of bondage;
and a true wife accounts her subjection her honor and freedom, and would
not think her condition safe and free but in her subjection [*230] to
her husband’s authority. Such is the liberty of the church under the
authority of Christ, her king and husband; his yoke is so easy and sweet
to her as a bride’s ornaments; and if through frowardness or
wantonness, etc., she shake it off, at any time, she is at no rest in
her spirit until she take it up again; and whether her lord smiles upon
her, and embraceth her in his arms, or whether he frowns, or rebukes, or
smites her, she apprehends the sweetness of his love in all, and is
refreshed, supported, and instructed by every such dispensation of his
authority over her. On the other side, ye know who they are that
complain of this yoke and say, let us break their bands, etc., we will
not have this man to rule over us. Even so, brethren, it will be between
you and your magistrates. If you stand for your natural corrupt
liberties, and will do what is good in your own eyes, you will not
endure the least weight of authority, but will murmur, and oppose, and
be always striving to shake off that yoke; but if you will be satisfied
to enjoy such civil and lawful liberties, such as Christ allows you,
then will you quietly and cheerfully submit unto that authority which is
set over you, in all the administrations of it, for your good. Wherein,
if we fail at any time, we hope we shall be willing (by God’s
assistance) to hearken to good advice from any of you, or in any other
way of God; so shall your liberties be preserved, in upholding the honor
and power of authority amongst you.
EOD |
