The QUAKERS Vindicated from the Calumnies of those that falsly accuse them as if they Denyed MAGISTRATES and Disowned GOVERNMENT And as if both in Principle and Practice they were inconsistant with either In which is shewed That the true and sincere Quakers so called for of them I write are in the Spirit and Principle in which the Justice of Magistrates is obeyed and in which Magistrates are to administer their Government and that by their practice in good works they fulfill all just and good Government And that they have God's Authority for their meeting together to worship Him and the Name of Christ which is above every name to meet in And that their Worship in Spirit is allowed by the Scriptures of Truth and the practice of the Primitive Christians which was before either the Liturgie or the Masse-book was And that people in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God should rather be instructed and led by the Spirit of the Lord in Gods Authority than driven by the terrour of Magistrates and forc'd by the penalties and punishments of the outward Laws of Men. Also several Objections answered as to the exercise of Secular force and compulsion over the Conscience in matters of Faith Religion and the Worship of God By EDWARD PYOT But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgment and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin Hear this I pray you ye Heads of the house of Jacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhor Judgment and pervert all Equity they build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity Mich. 3. 8 9 10. Knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane c. 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. The Quakers vindicated from the Calumnies of those that falsly accuse them as if they denyed Magistrates and disowned Government c. IT is no strange thing if there be a talk among some people that the Quakers so called do deny Magistrates and disown Government for such there were in the times of Christ and of his Apostles who of malice some and others of ignorance slandered both Christ and his Apostles and the most sincere Christians of all Ages since with such false accusations and scandalous reports it was through envy and slander that Christ was by the Jews delivered as a Malefactor in this kind as Pilate well knew whom the chief Priest the Bâ—ders and Scribes with their multitude accused of perverting the Nations and forbidding to pay Tribute to Cesar and of stirring up the people and this they did under pretence of friendship to Cesar who in their hearts they hated they told Pilate that he was not Caesar's friend if he let him go when he sought to release him as finding no fault in him and cryed for Barrabas to be released who did indeed prevert the people and made Insurrection and committed Murder in the Insurrection and for Sedition and Murther was cast into Prison And they laid in many great grievious complaints against the Apostles as touching the Law of the Jews and of moving Sedition and of turning the world upside down and they accused them of doing contrary to the Decrees of Cesar And the Christians in after-times were said to be seditious and rebellious and pernicious to the Emperour and whatsoever evils happened among the people they were imputed to the Christians as the causers thereof Thus the most sincere Christians of their times have been scandalized defamed and persecuted by the malice of them who through their subtilty and envie to Righteousness have endeavoured by all ways and means to bring the most Innocent and upright People into contempt with their Rulers and to possess the ignorant people with prejudice against them that having rendred them infamous and dangerous they might be persecuted as such and as such many have unjustly suffered by their Rulers and by the mis-led people have been disregarded and had in base esteem and accounted as the filth of the world and as the off-scouring of all things And therefore it is no strange thing if the most sincere Christians of these times that are now reproachfully called Quakers and Sectaries and their Ministers Ringleaders as the Christians in the Apostles times were called Nazarens and termed a Sect and their Ministers Ringleaders be now slandered and defamed as if they denyed Magistrates and disowned Government and were in their principle and practice inconsistent with both by the scandalous reports of some who through their envy to Godliness and Sincerity have evilly surmised and hatched such things without any cause given whereby the Rulers also have been incensed against the Innocent as a People disaffected to Government And this subtile and malicious working was in Oliver's dayes as well as now and hath been through all the late Changes although the Quakers never gave occasion to any yet occasions have been taken against them by all and they have been made offenders and have deeply suffered by all who never justly offended any nor are in principle or practice prejudicial to either Government or Governours but are for the establishment of both according to the Ordinance of God and by their honest conversation which is according to the will of God in well-doing which well becometh good Government they do answer the end of Government and their Principle teacheth them according to the will of God to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and they know it to be the will of God corcerning them that they may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men according as Peter writeth to the Christians that were scattered abroad in several parts That they should be of honest conversation among the Gentiles and submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governors as unto them that 61. 2. are sent of him for the punishment of evil-doors and for the praise of them that do well and that this to do was the will of God concerning them that with well-doing they might put to silence the ignorance of foolish men And if well-doing which indeed is an honour to Government and not a disowning of it and which deserves the Magistrates praise and therefore is no denying them was a sufficient ground to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men in this matter as to the Christians in the Apostles times why may not the well-doing of the Quakers now who as to their honest conversation innocent life and quiet behaviour towards both Rulers and People have a large testimony in the consciences of all that know them be a sufficient ground to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as to this matter in this our day And those who so bewray their ignorance as thus to talk may not unfitly be
known beforehand but are also read week after week and year after year And if by might and power any should be forc'd astray to worship God in that manner which is contrary to the Law of God in their consciences though highly esteemed amongst men would not even their Prayers be their sin for doth not Solomon say He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be abomination And he that causeth the Righteous to go astray by an evil way shall fall â—â— 28. â—0 into his own pit And is not their sin great and will not their stripes be many who either by force or subtilty are either drawn or driven to worship God after that manner which is contrary to their knowledge and conscience And if by the force of Might and Power any should be driven contrary to God's witness in their consciences will they not hereby be run into transgression and Rebellion against God and will not the Witness of God in them in their own consciences be their condemnation And is not Rebellion as the sin of Witchcraft and Transgression as Wickedness Idolatry And are their own consciences pure and without offence and tender and in the feeling of anothers conscience or rather are not their consciences reprobated without remorse and unsensible who by force would defile and offend and even wound and wrack the consciences of others And do not they sin against Christ the Head who so sin against his Body the Church and who grieve his Spirit and oppress his Members by imposing rigorously upon them heavy burdens which they are not able to bear even to the wounding of their consciences if they submit and as much as in them lyeth to destroy their souls for whom Christ died And if the doubtful thoughts of them that are weak in the Faith in things that are lawful in themselves are not to be judged as it is written Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to judg his doubtful thoughts see the margent Is the faith and certain knowledge of God's true Worshippers then to be judged as to the manner of God's Worship which they assuredly believe to be the will of God and certainly know to be of the Lord and required of them as his Law unto them Was the noise either of Hammer or Ax or of any Tool of Iron heard in the House of God whilst it was in building by Solomon And are the Laws of men then and their Penalties and Punishments to be the Foundations now on which God's Spiritual House is to be built or is the matter for the House of God now to be hewen out and hammered and prepared by armed-men and the noise of the clattering of Arms with which the peaceable Meetings of the Quakers have been often assaulted and broken up and their Bodies hurt and bruised Is Force and Violence exercised by men on the Body the way of God to save the soul Did not the Prophet in the power of God and in the might of his Spirit declare against them who built up Zion with blood and Ierusalem with wrong And is it not uncharitable among Christians and against the Law both of Love and Equity and that which they would not be done unto themselves for one to impose upon another as to their Faith and Conscience in the matters of Religion and Worship contrary to the Law which rules in their Consciences and to that which they believe to be the Will of God and to that in which they are not to themselves but to the Lord and to that in which the Lord hath received them and doth accept of them For doth not the Royal Law command to love thy neighbour as thy self and hath not Christ to his Disciples â—â— 2. commanded saying Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets â—att 2. Are not even Gainsayers by sound Doctrine both to be convinced and exhorted and in meekness are not they to be instructed who oppose themselves and are not even unbelievers and them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to be gathered by the Word of God preached and to be won by moderation and soberness and by the good conversation of them that believe And is not the Word of God of more force inwardly to execute the righteous Judgments of God for disobedience and to convince perswade and compel to obedience than all the force and strength of men for is it not therefore by the Lord likened to a Fire and to a Hammer which breaks the Rocks in pieces reader Ier. 23. 29. 20. 9. 6. 11. 5. 14. Isa 49. 2. 30. 30. 11. 4. And was not the Baptism of Repentance which by Iohn was preached as an Ax from God in his hand for the cutting down of fruitless Trees and were not they prickt in their hearts with the force of the Word and the authority of the Doctrine which by the Apostles was preached And did not Foelix tremble before Paul when he reasoned of Righteousness and Temperance and of Judgment to come And is not therefore the matter for the building of the Church of God to be prepared by the Ministry of his Word in God's Authority rather than by the force and terror of men And are not even those that oppose themselves to be subdued by the Gospel of Christ unto the obedience of God in his Spiritual Service and Worship For is not the Gospel of Christ the Power of God And is not the Authority of the Word and the Force of the Gospel in which the Power of God is made manifest the means by God appointed to satisfie doubts and to decide Controversies in matters of Religion and manner of Worship For is not the Word of God both quick and powerful and the Sword of the Spirit and sharper for the convincement of Gainsayers than the two-edged Swords of men for doth it not pierce to the discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart and inwardly force and compel where the Force of men can neither reach nor enter And if Power in Magistrates over the Faith and Consciences of God's faithful and true Worshippers in the matters of Religion and Worship be pretended unto as they are Magistrates may not then Antichristian or Heathen Magistrates pretend to the same power to over-rule the Faith of their Subjects and compel them to their Religion and by their penalties and punishments to force their Consciences to worship Idols And if such power in Magistrates be pretended unto as they are Christians are we not to distinguish between the Office or Authority of Magistrates in the administration of their Civil Power as Rulers and Governours and the Religion of Magistrates as they are Christians by which they have fellowship in the Church as Members of the Spiritual Body of which Christ only is the Head among them that
who indeed are but as Lambs among Wolves and a prey to the beasts of the field and do not resist the evil and the wrong that is done unto them nor retalliate like for like not being overcome of evil but overcoming evil with good Nor is it their principle to plot and contrive Insurrections but patiently to bear their false Calumnies and chearfully to suffer their cruel Oppressions and are not ashamed of the Commandments of God to do his will nor of the Testimony of Christ for which they suffer but by the Power of God are made willing to partake of the Afflâ—ctions of the Gospel and do glory in their Tribulations not loving their lives to the death And loving their Enemies and praying for their Persecuters they commit the keeping of their Souls unto him who in his Faith and Patience is able to keep them throughout unto Himself in this their day of tryal and hour of temptation that by the fierce and sore wrath of man is come upon them And is it not as dangerous and more disloyalty to God for any to defame and judge Gods true Worshippers as seditious Sectaries who in the Spirit and in the Truth do worship God and God's spiritual and holy Worship into which by the Spirit of God they are led to be seditious Conventicles who is a Spirit and the Truth and therefore must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and such spiritual and true Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him John 4. 23 24. For is not this to defame and to judge the holy Spirit of God by which God's true Worshipers are led and in which they holily and spiritually do worship God to be seditious and his holy and spiritual Worship to be Sedition for is it not written He that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law but if thou judge the Law thou art not a doer of the Law but 〈…〉 Are Christians to be each others Judges in the matters of Faith and Religion or are they to be Masters over the Consciences one of another concerning the Worship of God Is not the Lord himself alone both the Lawgiver and Judge as to his own Spiritual Worship and Service for is it not written There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy Who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4. 12. And if God only be the Lawgiver and Judge as to his own Worship and Service is it then in the power of any living upon the face of the Earth to prescribe to God his Worship or for the Worship of God with man's judgement to judge his true Worshippers And do not they prescribe who by their Laws and Penalties do bind and limit to a form of Worship not prescribed or limited unto by God nor in the practice of the Apostles and primitive Christians And do not they judge who arraign and sentence even to Prisons and Banishment them that for Conscience-sake cannot submit to what by men is prescribed for the Worship of God And are not their Meetings of the Lord and sealed in them to be well-pleasing in his sight by his Presence with them and his Appearance in them and among them for are not the manifestations of his Spirit and the operations of his Power in their holy Assemblies a sure Testimony from God of his acceptance of them in his Service and Worship And have they not then God's Authority for their meeting together in his Name the only Lord of their Consciences and the only Lawgiver for his own Worship and Service And must Magistrates in the things of the outward man by Christians be obeyed for Conscience-sake in things not against Conscience And must not the Lord himself by his People be obeyed for Conscience-sake in the things of the inward man And must every Ordinance of man be submitted unto for the Lord's sake that is not against the Lord and must not the Lord himself be submitted unto for his own sake by his true Worshippers in his own worship and Service And is not this to domineer and rule over and over-rule the Faith and Consciences of God's true Worshippers which by both Papists and Protestants in words is disclaimed which condemns their deeds to impose upon them in the Worship of God not only contrary to what in the sight of God is made manifest in their Consciences for the VVorship of God and which is according to the VVord of Truth and as by the Spirit of Christ in their hearts is prescribed to them but also in other manner than by the Apostles and primitive Christians God was worshipped before either the Common-Prayer Book or the Mass-Book was whose manner of VVorship was then said to be contrary to Law and by them called Heresie who reputed their own according to Law as it fares at this day with the Quakers who after the manner which is now called Heresie by them who are themselves in the Heresie they as the Apostles did do worship God even their Father in the Spirit and in the Truth And if the Apostles and primitive Christians did meet together above the number of Four besides the houshold and in their Meeting did worship God in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England before the Liturgy was why should it be made an unlawful meeting now and so capital as to be so severely punished as with Banishment for the Quakers to meet together before the Lord above the number of Four besides the houshold and in their meeting to worship God in that manner in which God may be worshipped otherwise than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England and as by the Apostles and primitive Christians God was worshipped before the Liturgy was to wit in the Spirit and in the Truth as they did seeing they are of the same Faith and in the same Spirit and Truth and under the same obligation as to their Consciences as they were And by Christ are purchased into the same Liberty for the free exercise of their Faith and Consciences towards God in his own Worship and one towards another in the Truth and Service of God and one another in the Lord which Liberty freely to exercise their Faith and Consciences in the Worship of God they may no more part with in vassalage to man than with their Lives for in the Liberty and Freedom of their Faith and Consciences in which Christ hath made them free are they not to stand fast to God alone whose Servants they are and the only Lord and Master of their Faith and Consciences and not again to be entangled with the Yokes of Bondage lest by captivating the Faith and defiling their Consciences they so become the servants of men as not becoming the Servants of Christ And if any notwiâ—hstanding what hath been said do yet assert That the Worship prescribed in the Liturgy is the only and true
rightly of things that differ and approve of that which is most excellent and which is acceptable and well-pleasing in the sight of God yea and against the witness of God in them and the feeling of their own consciences And is not to rule by force the Lambs of Christ and to give law and rule to their faith and consciences by penalties and punishments contrary to what is written Zech. 4. 6. Not by Might nor by Power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts Is the strength of men then and their Force and Laws Penalties and Punishments the means appointed by God to teach people the knowledge and fear of God or Doth the Wrath of man accomplish the Righteousness of God or are these Jam 20. the weapons of the Spiritual-Warfare by which people are to be subject unto the Lord in his Spiritual-Worship and Service And is that Worship well-pleasing or acceptable to God which is forc'd only by the fear and punishment of men or doth God seek such Worshippers as by carnal compulsion worship him Nay are not these of the weapons with the which the many-headed Beast with his Horns and Crowns which rise out of the Sea have made War with the Saints for these many hundred years and have so overcome them as to their bodies as that many have lost their precious Lives in Prisons and Dungeons and at the Gibbet and the Stake Was the material Temple by Zerubbabel to be rebuilt without the help of Secular Force and must there be the exercise of Inhumane Cruelty for the building of the Spiritual-Temple and House of God which in the Lord is the Pillar and Ground of Truth Is not the Lord Jesus Christ now the builder of his Church and is not He only given as a Leader and the Commander of his People in Spiritual things for is not all Power in Heaven and Earth by his Father given unto him for the establishment of his Heavenly and Spiritual Kingdom and Government and as the Lord of his own House is it not to be left to him to order it and to govern it without the help of the force of man for is not the Spirit and Power of Christ of more efficacy for the government of his Church than might and power by men And how is God glorified in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages â— 3. world without end if the Church be gathered and governed by the Authority and force of men Is not the Law of God which by his Spirit is written in the hearts of his People and his Fear and the Dread which by him is put upon them the Covenant by which they are to draw near unto him in his holy Worship rather than the Laws and Penalties of men And is not the Lords Covenant with his People the only force that is to say without the force of men which by him is put upon them as to his own Spiritual Service and Worship And as to the Lord is not his Covenant sufficient without the force of men as it is written As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have 59. put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever And in the day of the Lord's Power are not his People willing without carnal compulsion by Secular force and violence And did not the Prophet Micah full of Power by the Spirit of the Lord and of Judgment and Might declare against the Heads of the house of Jacob and the Princes of the house of Israel who built â— c. 3. â— 10. up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity And what remains now in this day of tryal for the Quakers the true Successors of the holy Prophets and Martyrs of Jesus but to succeed them in their Sufferings and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ for his Bodies sake which is the Church for whilst Laws are made and executed upon them to limit them in their Meetings by which they are made offenders who otherwise are blameless and whilst their Meetings together in the fear of the Lord and in obedience to his Law and Commandment and in his Worship and Service are rendred as the Transgressions of the Laws they exceeding the limited number of Four c. which otherwise and without that limit are enjoyned by the Spirit of the Lord and strictly required not to be forsaken by any either wilfully after they have received â—b 10 the knowledge of the Truth or for fear of Man who when he hath killed the body can do no more lest greater sufferings from God may be expected to wit a certain fearful looking for of Judgement and the fiery Indignation of God who can both kill the body and cast the soul into Hell And what then now remains for the Quakers in these exercises and tryals of their Faith and Patience but to offer up their Bodies a living Sacrifice holy and acceptable to God as their reasonable service and patiently to suffer all these cruelties which men may be permitted to inflict upon them for of necessity must they not either suffer or flee their Testimony and deny Christ before men and expose him to open shame before his enemies and them that hate his appearance and that persecute him in his members And will not Christ deny them before his heavenly Father that deny him before men and will not Christ shame them when in the glory of his Father he is made manifest who are ashamed of him and of his Testimony when in his members he is despised and persecuted And though the Meetings of the Quakers are by men rendred unlawful because of the Laws that are made against them yet are they therefore sinful in the sight of God or unlawful by the Law of God or are their Meetings therefore displeasing to the Lord because they are envied and persecuted by men Would Daniel's praying to his God have been the transgression of a Law if there had not been a Law made purposely against it or was his praying then and his making supplications before the Lord his sin against the Lord even then when there was a Law made against it which they called a Royal Statute and a firm Decree which altereth not And although the Meetings of the Quakers are made transgressions before men because of the Laws that are made against them yet is it either a transgression in it self or a sin before the Lord for innocent Lambs and the harmless Flock of Christ in obedience to the Voice of their Shepherd to meet together and to be gathered in his Name and he in the midst of them to feed them and to fold them that they might be fed in his green Pastures and refreshed with his living Fountains of the
Waters of Life Nay was it not a transgression in them among the Hebrews and their Apostacy and sin against the Lord who after they had received the knowledge of the Truth did yet forsake the assembling of themselves together with them that persevered in the Truth And forsook not the assembling of themselves together but endured a great Heb 25 33. fight of Afflictions and were made a Gazing-stock both by Reproaches and Afflictions and took joyfully the spoyling of their Goods And is not the Name of Christ which is above every name even his Power and his Presence the Authority in which God's true Worshippers are to gather together to worship him rather than the Laws of men for is not Christ present in the midst of them who are gathered together in his Name are not God's true Worshippers therefore to meet together in the Name of Christ and by his Authority to worship God as by the Spirit of Christ they are drawn and compelled ordered and guided which leads into all Truth notwithstanding the Laws of men for wherein the Laws of men for Conscience-sake cannot be actively obeyed are they not submitted unto and passively obeyed yea and fulfilled by their patient suffering of their penalties And are not their Meetings lawful in the sight of God who are gathered together in the Name of Christ for are they not owned of God by the Presence of Christ in the midst of them and do not they offer violence to Christ in the midst of them who violate their Meetings that are gathered together in his Name do not they dispise him 10 who despise them and is not what is done to them for his sake by him esteemed as done to him And were it not better for them that â— 25. 5. 18. a Milstone were hanged about their necks and they cast into the Sea than for them to offend one of the least of his little ones And as to the place for Divine Worship and the Service of God in the exercise of Religion Are there now any certain places prefixt and limited unto by Christ since the hour came that God would neither be worshipped on the Mountain of Samaria nor yet at Jerusalem are not all limits and ties to certain prefixt places for the Worship of God made null and void by the Ministration of the Spirit and the Truth as it is in Jesus for are not all distinctions of places by Christ annihilated in that which to the Woman of Samaria he saith Woman believe â— 4. me the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this Mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father And did not the then Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Verity will them to pray every where aswell â—im â— â—â— 1. without any scruple to the place as without doubting in what they asked according to the will of God And doth not the Lord by the Prophet Malachi say that IN EVERY Place Incense shall be offered unto his Name and a pure Offering and that his Name shall be great among the Heathen And in the Liturgy of the Church of England is it not said viz. It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at All times and in All places give thanks unto thee O Lord Almighty and everlasting God c. And is not Christ there and in the midst of them wheresoever it be that two or three are gathered together â—â—tth 20. in his Name And did not the primitive Christians of the Cities of Corinth Ephesus and Thessalonica c. in the Worship of God meet apart from the Jewish Synagogues and from the Idol Temples And were not the Assemblies of God's true Worshippers in Jerusalem approved of by God who in the Worship of God met apart from them who worshipped in the Temple for were not the Churches of Judea and Samaria and of all Asia and Macedonia which were in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ so many distinct Congregations and all separated from their several National Worships as in some Translations the 2d Cor. 1. 1. is read Unto the Congregation of God which is at Corinth and Gal. 1. 2. Unto the Congregations at Galatia c. and as so many separated and distinct Congregations all in the Unity of God the Father and of Christ in the midst of them had not they power and authority from Christ and by his Presence with them either in their own hired houses or in any other convenient places to meet together in his Name for the exercise of Religion and Worship and the administration of holy things within and among themselves Are we not all to be the Servants of God only and not the Servants of men in the things of God which concerns his heavenly Kingdom and Government as it is written 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price be not ye the servants of men for are not the matters of Religion God's matters and is not God only our Master in the matters of his Spiritual Worship hath not the Lord only the sole power over both our Souls and our Bodies in his own Worship and Service and is not the Lord only the alone Judge in and over our Consciences And must not we all stand or fall to our own Master as it is written Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth Is not mans judgment and authority over the consciences of the Lord's Servants in the matters of Religion and Worship herein by the Apostle excluded in that which he here saith Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth In the late Annotation published in the year 1651 on John 7. 51. it is said Those whom God hath set in Authority may and ought to judge of Secular businesses but of mans final estate Christ only is to judge And did not the Apostles deny Lordship over the Consciences of God's Heritage and disclaim to have any Dominion over their Faith for doth not Peter in his exhortation 1 Pet 3. 2 Coâ— 24. to the Elders to feed the flock of God say Neither as being Lords over God's Heritage And doth not Paul to the Corinthians say Not for that we have Dominion over your Faith Is there then any such Lordship or Dominion by the Secular Powers in the Spiritual Body as to give Law and Rule to the Faith and Consciences of God's faithful and true Worshippers in the matters of Religion and for the Worship of God Are the Servants of God therefore to make men their Masters in the Service of God or are the Commandments of men to be their Limits and Prescriptions for the Worship of God or rather Are not they false teachers and themselves in the false and vain worship who for the Worship of God teach for Doctrines the Commandments of men for of such worshippers and Teachers doth not Christ say But in vain
their Brothers way and an occasion for him to fall who impose upon their Brother in spiritual things contrary to his faith and conscience for whatsoever is not of faith is â—â—m 14. sin and if his own conscience condemn him God is greater And forasmuch as every one must account for himself to God is it â—ohn 3. â— not therefore also reasonable that in the things of God every man's conscience should be thorowly satisfied and their minds by the Lord Jesus Christ fully perswaded as it is written Let every man be fully â—â—m 14 perswaded in his own mind rather than that any should be forced contrary to their minds and against their consciences by the laws of men for is not every one that doubteth in what he doth condemned in himself as it is written He that doubteth is damned if he eat Doth â—â—r 23. it not therefore concern every one that believeth to keep the Faith by which he stands even as he hath received and his conscience void of offence as it is written Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before â—er 22. God Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing he alloweth And is not every mans conscience to be perswaded by the Lord Jesus Christ as saith the Apostle I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus â—er 14. c. and rather by the terrour of the Lord than by the terrour of men as it is written Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we Cor. 5 perswade men c. And in order therefore to their being fully satisfied in their consciences by the Lord Jesus are they not in the Light of Christ to try things that differ and in all are they not to prove what that good and perfect Will of God is And when in the true discerning of that which is right in the sight of God they are fully perswaded and their consciences thorowly satisfied by the Lord Jesus Christ are they not stedfastly to hold fast the Good whatsoever Laws by men may be made against it as it is written Prove all things hold fast that which is 1 Tâ—â— 5. 21 good for otherwise if the matters of Faith and the manner of Gods Worship should depend upon the Laws of men may not then our Faith and Religion and the manner of God's Worship as oft be changed as the minds of Magistrates may change And is it not possible that Magistrates may err in matters of Religion and Worship for therein are they not of different minds in Europe and for the People to be seduced even by their Magistrates for of Manasseh is it not said that he seduced the People to do more evil 2 Kâ—â— 21. 9 2 Kiâ— 17. â— Isa â— 12. than did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel And did not Jeroboam drive Israel from following the Lord and make them sin a great sin And doth not the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah as grieved therewith say O my People they which lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths And did not Judah quote to the Prophet Jeremiah as examples the Antiquity of their Ancestors and the Authority and Practice of her Rulers for the abominable Idolatrous Jer. â— 17. Worship in the exercise of which she promised to her self both peace and plenty And were not the Idolatrous Priests ordained by the Kings of Judah 2 Ki 23. 5 to burn Incense in the High-Places in the Cities of Judah and in the Places round about Jerusalem And in the true and Spiritual Worship of God is there not the exercise and operation of the true and living Faith which worketh by Love for was it not by Faith that Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain and without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that approacheth to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder Heb. 4 6. of them that diligently seek him And is this Faith either in the gift of Magistrates or doth it operate by the force of their Laws And in order that the Lord may be truly spiritually and acceptably worshipped must there not be of necessity an understanding in some measure of the Will of God in his Worshippers and so mixt with Faith as that their minds may be fully perswaded and their consciences thorowly satisfied both as to the matter and manner of his Worship or else will not their Sacrifice be as of the blind and the halt and maimed And is this understanding of the Will of God given to them by the exercise of Secular-Force or are their consciences to be satisfied by the executions of the Laws of men and their Renalties Or rather are they not to look into the perfect Law of Liberty the Iam. 25. Royal Law on which hangs all the Law and the Prophets and according to which the Laws of men ought to be regulated which in their hearts is written and not in litteral or outward Commands nor by the Prescriptions of men but with the Spirit of the living God and therein to learn of Christ the will of God concerning his own Worship and Service And must not the Lord be worshipped by his own spiritual and immortal Birth and with the returns of the breathings of his own Life in the unity of his own Spirit and of the Truth as it is in Jesus and rather according to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus than either with the Inventions or by the Precepts of men Or can the Lord be truly and spiritually worshipped on earth but by his own Spirit and in the Truth and of them that are of his Spirit And is the Spirit of the Lord either to be limited or directed by men for doth not the Prophet of the Lord say Who hath directed the Spirit of the â—â— 40. Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught him Or do themselves truly discern the Spiritual Worship of God in the inward feeling of that which is Immortal of God in them in which only God is to be worshipped and in the sensible motion and operation of the Spirit of God speaking in them and making Intercession for them according to the will of God and not after the will of man in which flesh is to be silent and the man passive who prescribes to others By Laws or Canons for the Worship of God for doth not the Apostle say We â—â— 8. know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh request for us with sighs which cannot be expressed And doth not Christ say It is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh â—att â— 20. in you And if the Apostles knew not beforehand what to pray for as they ought is the Lord then truly and spiritually worshipped by the reading of stinted Forms of Prayer imposed for the publick Worship of God and which are not only
in Christ Iesus are called sanctified through the Truth in which many are one Body and all Members one of another and all partakers of one Bread and all made to drink into one Spirit And as Christians therefore are not all Brethren as in that state and the Chiefest to be the Servant of all and that not titularly only and be served of all but in the Truth and for the Gospel-sake to serve all And whereas those Scriptures viz. Let every soul be subject to the Rom 13. Tit. 1 Pâ—â— 2. 3 higher Powers c. and Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates c. and Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake c. are many times by many brought against the Quakers thereby to signifie to them as if subjection and obedience to Magistrates as to their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God is required of them by the authority of these Scriptures I answer That in these Scriptures precited here is indeed required subjection and obedience even by Christians to Magistrates in all those matters and things which concern their outward man but that subjection and obedience to Magistrates by Christians as to the exercise of their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God which are the concerns of the inward man cannot reasonably be understood here to be required by the Apostles in these Scriptures I offer this as reason viz. Because the then Magistrates to whom obedience was required by the Apostles as to Religion were Heathens and worshippers of false gods And is it reasonable for any to believe that the Apostles herein required that the primitive Christians should subject the exercise of their Faith and Consciences under the dominion of them that as to their Religion were Infidels or that the Church of Christ as to matters of Religion and the Worship of God should be governed by Heathen Rulers that were themselves Idolators and worshippers of false gods And if it should be yet asserted by any That the Apostles here in these Scriptures intended the subjection and obedience of the inward man and that the primitive Christians were to be subject as to their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God to the then Heathen Magistrates will it not then follow that if the then Heathen Magistrates had made Laws to force the primitive Christians from their Christian Religion and their Worship which is in Spirit and in Truth according to the Doctrine of Christ John 4. And to require them to worship the false gods of the Heathen i. e. the Idols which the then Heathen Magistrates worshipped Must not the primitive Christians then of necessity have been subject And is not this absurd to assert And must it not therefore of necessity follow that the subjection and obedience here required by the Apostles in these Scriptures is only as to all those matters and things which relate to the outward man and not at all of the subjection of the inward man in the things of God which relate to his own Spiritual Worship and Service And as to this distinction did not Christ himself distinguish between things and ascribe to God his things i. e. the things that are proper to God only and not to man and also allow unto Caesar his things i. e. to the chief Magistrates of every Nation the things that belong to them in that which he saith Render therefore to Cesar the â—atth â— 21. things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods And is not the inward man the Image of God and are not the things of the inward man which relate to the Worship of God of his inscription or under his only Dominion as Caesar had his image and superscription stampt on their Coin to signifie his Dominion over them as to the things of their outward man And in that which Peter saith Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man c. is it not manifest that he herein intended their submission in the things of the outward man by his own example in the case for when the Magistrates interposed their Commands in the things of God did he not answer them saying Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto â—cts 4. â— God judge ye And again did not he with the other Apostles in answer to the Magistrates say We ought to obey God rather than men And â—cts 5. â— was it not as to the matters of Religion and for the exercise of their Faith and Consciences in the Service and Worship of God that the Apostles and primitive Christians suffered Persecution by the Magistrates And whereas when things by Magistrates are commanded which for Conscience-sake cannot be obeyed by them who endeavour to keep their Consciences void of offence that which is written Rom. 13. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience-sake is often objected thereby to insinuate That Magistrates have dominion over the Conscience in the things of the inward man I answer That every man is bound in his Conscience by the Lord and to the Lord to obey the just Commands of their Magistrates not only for wraths sake by man but also for conscience sake to God according to this Scripture is not at all by the Quakers denied But because Magistrates are to be obeyed for conscience sake to God and as the conscience is bound by God to their obedience and not by man doth it therefore follow that Magistrates have dominion over the conscience And are not Magistrates as wel to be submitted unto for the Lord's sake as for conscience sake or have Magistrates dominion over that in others which in themselves hath dominion over them For is not that in man called Conscience which in the light of Christ both knows and feels and which as it were is the Throne of God in man and the Seat of his divine Law and of the Justice of God for hath not every man either peace or trouble as with the Light of Christ which is the Law of God in his own conscience he is either justified or condemned Or can Magistrates be obeyed for conscience sake in things against conscience or can they be submitted unto for the Lord's sake in things against the Lord or must Magistrates be obeyed for conscience sake in the things of the outward man and must not the Lord be obeyed for conscience sake in things of the inward man which concerns his own Worship and Service or do they either obey God or Magistrates for conscience sake who in the Worship of God are by men forc'd against their consciences And because Magistrates are by Christians to be obeyed for conscience sake may it not therefore be of caution to Magistrates in their Government to take heed that they require nothing against
the Law of God in the conscience that so by Christians they may be obeyed for conscience sake And if the Laws of men do answer to the Law of God in the conscience will not every one then that resists the Power as well be made sensible of the wrath of God in his conscience as deserving of the wrath of men upon his outward man And by the opposite Commands of God and man are not the consciences of them that are required to obey deeply concerned and themselves greatly tryed for of necessity are not they forc'd into sore sufferings either by the wrath of God or by the wrath of man that is to say if man forbids that which God commands or if God forbids that which man commands must they not suffer either by God or man for in this case of necessity must not either God or man be disobeyed And if they obey the Laws of men contrary to the Law of God do they not then incur the wrath of God and if they obey the Law of God contrary to the Laws of men do they not then incur the wrath of men And although the Wrath of God be the greater yet is not the wrath of men very great and grievous to be born when it is executed But in this case must not the Lord be obeyed rather than man For as to Soveraignty is not the Lord higher than the highest and doth not the Lord regard the Oppressions of the Innocent who in their sufferings have none to flee unto but to himself only as it is written If thou seest the Oppression of the Poor and violent perverting â—les 8. of Judgment and Justice in a Province marvel not at the matter for He that is higher than the Highest regardeth and there be higher than they And doth not the wrath of man turn to the praise of God And the remainder of wrath will not he restrain And as to their eternal estate Are not the concerns of the soul greater than the concerns of the body and even in this life is not peace with God in the conscience more to be regarded than to be parted with to avoid sufferings by men For what is any man profited by ease liberty and pleasures in the body if to gain this he lose his soul and what would not a wise man part with or suffer to gain his soul And are not Magistrates as they are Christians prohibited by Christ from the exercise of authority and dominion over the Faith and Consciences of God's true Worshippers in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God as it is written Mat. 20. 25 26 27. The Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be Great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be Chief among you let him be your Servant Which cannot be understood that Christians should not be subject to the just Government of their Christian Magistrates in Secular things because in Secular things even Christians are bound in conscience by God to be subject to the just Government even of Heathen Magistrates May not this prohibition viz. But it shall not be so among you therefore be rather understood the prohibiting by Christ of Secular Authority and worldly Dominion to be exercised among Christians for the government of his Church in the Heavenly and Spiritual things of God And also because in the Government of the Church The Greatest is to be their Mark â— 44. Minister and the Chiefest to be the Servant of all and is it so in the Government of the Church by Secular Powers For is not the Church of Christ a Spiritual Body and must not its Government therefore be Spiritual even by the Divine Authority and Heavenly Dominion of Christ himself as the alone Head and Governor of the Church which is his Mystical Body and the fulness of him that filleth all in all And may not this therfore be of caution as well to Christian Magistrates as to Heathen Magistrates to take heed of exercising that Authority and Dominion among Christians over the Spiritual Body of Christ in the matters of Faith and Worship and the things of God relating to the inward man which by Christ are distinguished from the things of Cesar which they exercise and which may be given them of God to be exercised by them for their Civil Policy and the Government of the Politick Body in things Secular and relating to the outward man For is not the Power by which the Church is to be governed by the Father given to Christ as the only Head of the Church and hath not Christ in himself kept the right of Soveraignty in the Government of his Church and is not Christ himself ever present in Spirit with his Church for the administration of his Authority and Supremacy over the Church and in the exercise of his Soveraignty for the Government of the Church And doth not Christ instruct them and rule among them by his Word and holy Unction and his Commands unto them and by the operation of his Power in them and doth he not teach and govern them by the motions and ministries and conduct of his Spirit which abideth with them and dwelleth in them and by the vertues and efficacy of the gifts of his Grace which by him are distributed to them And herein doth not Christ reign and rule and teach and govern his Church himself and hereby is not God glorified in the Church by Christ throughout all ages as it is written Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Epheâ— 21. Jesus thorowout all ages world without end Amen And though Authority and Superiority and Magistracy and Power justly derived and lawful Dominion in the exercise of Civil Power for the Government of the Politick Body be the Ordinance of God yet doth it therefore follow that the same is ordained of God for the Government of his Church For are the motions of the Spirit of Christ in his Church and the operations of the Power of Christ in the Members of his Mystical Body by Magistrates to be bounded and limited through the exercise of their Dominion over them and of their Authority upon them Are the gifts which by God are given for the mutual edifying of the Church to be ordered and disposed of by Magistrates have they power over and the government of the manifestations of the Spirit of God and all those different Administrations which are by the same Lord and which by the working of one and the same Spirit operateth severally in all for the benefit of the Body and the profit of every member Or had the then Heathen Magistrates the same Authority over the Power and Spirit which operated in the Apostles and primitive Christians as they were the Ministers and Servants of God in the exercise of their Ministry and Service of the Church which they had over
Law of God compel any of his true worshipers to worship him by the force of Secular penalties punishments or is that worship acceptable to God which is by compulsion and force And to that which perhaps by some may be said That the penalties and punishments herein mentioned are the judgments and executions of the Law of the King I say are God's true Worshippers by the Laws and Prescriptions of men to worship God after that manner which is contrary to that which by the Law of God is prescribed for his Worship or are they by penalties and punishments to be forc'd as to the Worship of God contrary to their Faith and to what they believe to be the true Worship of God and against their Consciences And was not the Law of God then the Law of the King also when the King by his Decree had established it as his Law to be administred in their Judicature Is not therefore that part of the King's Decree which in Ezra 7. 25 26. is contained intended by the King of the exercise of his Civil Power for his reforming of the Magistracy and outward Judicature in the Province of Judah for the Civil Government of the Jews according to the Law of God as to their outward man as in the Wisdom of God Ezra should be guided to direct it and not for his reforming of the Church as to the Worship of God for as to what in his Decree related to the House of God and his Worship and to the Ministers thereof did not his Decree end as to the before-mentioned with the end of the 24th verse of that chapter or did the King at all reform the Church as to the Worship of God otherwise than as by his Decree he submitted the reformation of it to the Commandments of God himself and by his ordering that to be diligently done for the House of the God of Heaven which either was or should be commanded by the God of Heaven as in ver 23. and also as by his Decree he protected the Jews in the free exercise of their Liberty as to their Consciences in their obedience to the Commands of God as to his own Worship and Service And as to that which perhaps by some may be objected That these penalties and punishments may be executed as to the matters of Religion and Worship because the Law of God is as well there mentioned as the Law of the King viz. Whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King c. To which I answer Was not the Law of God by the Law of the King established to be administred in the outward Government of the Jews as to the things of their outward man and to be executed upon Offenders in their Civil Judicature according to the nature and degree of each transgression as by the judgement of the Judicature they were sentenced whether unto Death or to Banishment or to Confiscation of Goods or Imprisonment for were not the Jews in their liberty from Captivity to be judged and governed according to the Law of God even as to the things of the outward man and by Magistrates and Judges that knew the Law of God And were not the Kings of Israel therefore to have â—ut 17. 19 20 a Book of the Law of God and therein to read all the dayes of their lives that they might learn the fear of the Lord their God and keep the words of his Law and his Statutes to do them and that their hearts might not be lifted up above their Brethren nor they turn aside from the Command of God neither to the right-hand nor to the left And in order to the administration and execution of the Law of God in their Civil Judicature was not Ezra therefore after the wisdom of God as his guide by the King's Decree to settle Magistrates and Judges that knew the Law of God and to teach them that knew it not for had not Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord to do it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Judgments And did not the King direct his Commission to Ezra as to a Scribe of the â—ra 7. 11 12. Law of God and a Teacher of the words of the Commandments of God and of his Statutes to Israel And do not Statutes there relate to State-Government and Civil Judicature And was not Ezra by the King and his seven Counsellors sent to enquire concerning Judah and Ierusalem according to the Law of his God were not therefore these penalties and punishments in the administration of the Law of God by Magistrates and Judges which knew the Law of God to be executed upon malefactors for their capital or criminal offences against the Law of God rather than upon Innocent and regular people for the exercise of their Faith and Consciences to God in his Worship and Service And may not these penalties and punishments be annexed by the King to inforce his Decree and accordingly to be executed upon any of the Jews adversaries that at any time should oppose this his new Constitution of the Magistracy for the Government of the Jews according to the Law of God for had not the Jews many potent Adversaries nigh them who waited opportunities to mischieve them as in the case of the building of the Temple were not many exasperated against the Jews lest by it their Idolatrous High-Places should be clouded So in time might not their potent Adversaries be exasperated at this new Reformation of the Magistracy for their Civil Government according to the Law of God in which they had not the same opportunity as Lords of their own Rule to tyrannize over the Jews as formerly And withall may not these executions viz. unto Death or to Banishment or to Confiscation of Goods or to Imprisonment the rather be thus particularly signified and expressed thereby to demonstrate the greatness of their Authority by the King's Commission for the administration of the Law of God in their Civil Government and the ample Power which by the King's Decree was given them for the execution of Judgement in their Judicature as to the things of the outward man Which Power here thus largely extended was afterwards denied them by the Romans when under their Dominion it was not lawful for the Jews to put any man to death Iohn 18. 31. And as to that which in this kind is objected by some of the examples of the Kings of Israel and Iudah viz. That they exercised Authority in the matters of Religion c. and that therefore Christian Magistrates may now yea and that they ought so to exercise their Power and Dominion over Christians as even to force and compel them as to the maner of the Worship of God though it be contrary to their Faith and against their Consciences To which I answer first Do not the Statutes of several Kingdoms in Christendom differ as to the matters of Religion and their manners and
form of Worship and have not the Laws for Religion and Worship at sundry times differed even in this our own Nation as the Magistrates or those in power by which they have been made have differed in their minds as to their Religion and Worship And if the matters of Religion and the manner of the Worship of God should be only directed and governed by the Laws and Statutes of men May there not then be as many Religions and forms of Worship or as many changes in Religion and Worship as the Magistrates that differ should please to make And if Christians are bound actively to submit to the Laws of their Christian Magistrates as to their Religion and Worship without any further question though against their consciences why then have so many Martyrs suffered Martyrdom for their not submitting otherwise than by suffering to the Laws for Religion and Worship which have been made by them who in their times have been called Christian Magistrates And as to all the Kings of Israel which reigned after the division of the ten Tribes from the Kingdom of Iudah what Authority they exercised in the matters of Religion was it not to support their Idolatrous Worship which by the subtilty and craft of Jeroboam was both invented and setled as the Publick Worship of the Kingdom of Israel â—â—n 12. 27 28 And to promote Idolatry in Worship and against the Law of God were not the Statutes of Omri both added and kept who walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin And â—â—ng â—6 as if it had been a light thing to walk in the sin of Jeroboam did not Ahab worship Baal and rear up an Altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria And is it not signified by the Prophet Micah as the peoples sin against the Lord that the Statutes of Omri were â—â—ah 6. by them kept and all the works of the house of Ahab and that they walked in their counsels And in point of Worship was not the Lord provoked to anger by the obedience of the children of Israel to the Heathenish Statutes of the Kings of Israel which they had made 2 Kings 17. 8. And would their alledging their Kings Laws as their Authority for what they did at all have excused them before the Lord or pacified his Anger against them for it And was not their sin great who by â—â—ng 21. force were driven from following the Lord to worship at Dan and Bethel And was not Ephraim oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly walked after the Commandment And by the â—â— 5. 11. Captivity of Israel did not the Lord remove them out of his sight as well for their persisting in the sins of Jeroboam even until their Captivity as also for their other Idolatries in Worship viz. their walking â—â—n 17. â— 23. in the Statutes of the Heathen whom the Lord cast out from before them and of the Kings of Israel which they had made And even in the time of Israels Apostacy were there not many of the Lords People that for Conscience sake could not keep the Statutes of Omri nor the works of the house of Ahab and that walked not in the heathenish Statutes of the Kings of Israel which they had made as witness the seven thousand in the time of Elias that never bowed their knee to Baal And if as Kings the Commands of any of the Kings of Judah were absolute and to be over the Conscience in the matters of Worship were not then the Commands of them all as Kings absolute and to be over the Conscience in the matters of Worship And if the people were bound in Conscience as in the matters of Worship actively to submit to their Commands though against their Consciences without any further question as to right or wrong who of them could then escape from being Idolaters that lived under the Reign of the Idolatrous Princes for in the Cities of Judah and round about Jerusalem were there not High-Places in their several streets and appointed unto several services some of them for the worship of false gods and others of them for the Worship of the true God but all contrary to the Law of God as it is written Wo wo unto thee saith the Lord Eze 23 â— that thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place and hast made thee an high-place in every street thou hast built thy high-place at every head of the way c. And were not the Idolatrous Priests that burnt Incense in the High-Places ordained by the Kings of Judah which afterwards by Josiah were put down as it is written And he put down the Idolatrous 2 Kiâ— 23. â— Priests whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn Incense in the High-Places in the Cities of Judah and in the places round about Jerusalem c. And did not the Kings of Judah as to the matters of Worship administer their Power differently as they were diversly affected for as there were some that took away the Altars of the strange gods and destroyed their High-places and that brake down their Images and cut down their Groves so were there not others that built High-places and set up Images and that reared up Altars to Baalim and made Groves and that walked in the wayes of the house of Ahab As there were some who did that which was righteous in the sight of the Lord by their reforming the abuses of their fore-fathers as Hezekiah and Josiah and others so were there not others who did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and more especially as to the matters of Religion and Worship and that walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel as Jehoram Ahaziah and others And did not the Lord bring Judah low for the sake of Ahaz their King who transgressed sorely against the Lord for did not Ahaz make Judah naked which by some is read he withdrew in Judah the Worship of God And 2 Ciâ— 28. 24 â— when he had shut the doors of the House of the Lord did he not make him Altars in every corner of Jerusalem and High-places in every several City of Judah And of Jehoram is it not said That he made High-places 2 Câ—â— 11 â— in the Mountains of Judah and caused the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit Fornication and compelled Judah thereto And of Manasseh â—â— 21. â—â— 16. â—â—on is it not said That he made Judah to sin with his Idols and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and that he seduced them to more evil than did the Nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel And even among the good Kings of Judah though Asa and Jehosaphat took away the Altars of the strange gods and brake down their High-places c. yet by them were there not left standing other high-places which by the Law of Moses should have been demolished and
â—â—g â—4 â— 43. is it not recorded as their remisness that they were not by them demolished Howbeit they forc'd none no not to sacrifice to the true God in the high-places but suffered it in those that did And although Jehoash Amaziah Azariah and Jotham did many things that were right in the sight of the Lord yet did not they all leave standing the high-places and under their Reigns and Government did not the people still sacrifice and burn Incense in the high-places which by the Law of God was not lawful for them to do but in the Temple only And as to the courage and fidelity of Hezekiah and the zeal and piety of Josiah and their more thorow Reformation so much spoken of to wit their throwing down the high-places as well those which by the former Reformers were left standing as those which after were built and their breaking down the Altars and casting out the Images and their countenancing the true Worshippers and encouraging the Worship of God according to the Law and Covenant of God all which as aforesaid is objected by some as examples for Christian Magistrates to follow and for them therefore to exercise their Authority as to matters of Religion To which I answer If the Lord put it into the hearts of Christian Magistrates so far to tread in the steps of the good Kings of Judah as to encourage the true Worship of God which is in Spirit and in Truth and not after the inventions of men and to protect God's true Worshippers in their Worship of God and to exercise their Authority for the removing the heaps of high-places in Christendom which neither were built either by pattern or Command from God and for the demolishing of their eminent places with their Altars within them and Popish Images about them who of the Lord's People would be grieved therewith for which reade 2 Chron. 34. 3 4. 2 Kings 23. 18. 4. 2 Chron. 30. 14. Numb 33. 52. Deut. 7. 5. 12. 2 3. And as before it is observed Was it not recorded as the remisness of the former good Kings of Judah That the High-places were not removed though in them the people sacrificed to the true God only But did those good Magistrates and Reformers in the Church and Commonwealth of Judah at all prescribe to God his Worship or did they administer their Power for the execution of their own wills concerning the Worship of God Was not their Authority by them exercised for the establishment of the Law of God and his Ordinances for his Wolship and Service according as by Moses was declared and written before them and for the keeping of God's Testimonies which by God was testified in his Spirit by his Prophets and in their own consciences For did not Iosiah make a Covenant before the Lord To walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies 2 Châ—â— 34. â—â— and his Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and to perform the words of the Covenant which were written in the Book that was found in the House of the Lord And of Hezekiah is it not said That 2 Kiâ—â— 18. â—â— he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his Commandments which the Lord commanded Moses And of Iehosaphat is it 2 Câ—â—â—7 4â— not said That he sought to the Lord God of his Father and walked in his Commandments and not after the doings of Israel And when Asa had taken away the Altars of the strange gods and the High-places c. did not he command Iudah or rather as it is in some Translation he 2 Châ— 14. 4â— said unto Iudah that they should seek the Lord God of their Fathers and do after the Law and Commandments And was not the uprightness of their hearts such as to the Lord his Law and Commands to them in what they did as that their Commands by the people were obeyed as the words and Commandments of God as it is written 2 Chr. 29. 15. And they gathered their Brethren and sanctified themselves and came according to the Commandment of the Kings by the words of the Lord c. for they in their Commands obeying the Word of the Lord the Hand of the Lord was so upon the people as that they obeyed their Commands as the Word of the Lord as it is written 2 Chr. 30. 12. Also in Judah the Hand of God was to give them one heart to do the Commandment of the King and of the Princes by the Word of the Lord. But to conclude both as to Christian Magistrates and also as to Heathen Magistrates If Heathen Magistrates command Christians even in the matters of Religion the Commandments of the Lord only and not their own against their Lords are they not even by Christians to be submitted unto for the Lords sake And if Christian Magistrates command Christians even as to the Worship of God the Commandments of Christ answering to the Witness of Christ in their consciences that are to obey and not by carnal compulsion or the force of man against their Faiâ—h and Consciences are they not by Christians to be obeyed yea and even for Conscience sake But if the Commands of Magistrates whetâ—er as to their profession they be either Heathens of Câ—ristians be contrary to the Commands of God and our Lord Jesus Christ and against the Faith and Consciences of Gods faithful and true Worshippers in this case is not the Lord rather to be obeyed than Men