do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men â—th 9. And for the Servants of God to resign the power over their souls and their soul-concernments into the hands of men and for them in subjection to the commandments of men to yeeld up the dominion over their consciences to man which only belongs to God is not this in the things of God to make themselves the Servants of men and herein is not the Lord rejected and his Soveraignty and Dominion contemned and reproached And in the concerns of their eternal being do they not in this stand or fall to men as their Masters or will Christ profit them any thing who in the things which concern his own Heavenly Kingdom and Government do yeeld their Souls and their Consciences to be yok'd and bound by men Are not the Lord's Servants here in the things of the Lord both by the Apostles Doctrine and Example to be left to their Lord's Judgement and to stand or fall as by his Justice they are either justified or condemned without their being judged by mans judgment And as amongst men it is accounted unequal for one man to exercise authority over another mans Servant and an injury to the Master So doth not the Lord here by the Apostle sharply reprove the presumption of those who at all take upon them to judge the Lord's Servants in the matters of Religion especially in those things which are owned â—â—t 18 7 8 â—0 by him and which by him are allowed in them and wherein the Lord hath received them and doth accept of them And will not the Lord as severely judge them and their usurpation and Hypocrisie as they in the exercise of authority over the Lord's Servants are severe in their judgments and do judge that which is of God in them for is it not an high provocation in them and are not they usurpers who exercise authority over the Servants of Christ in those things in which Christ only is their Lawgiver and their Judge And are not they hypocrites who under the pretence of their service to Christ do persecute the Members and Servants of Christ and that pretend it good service to God to make strong the bands of the Righteous and with the fist of wickedness to smite the Lord's Servants And when the Lord comes to make inquisition for Blood and wrongs done in an hour that they are not aware of will he not then remember them and appoint them their portion with Hypocrites For as to the matters of Conscience in Religion the Worship of God and all those things which relate to the inward man is not every man to stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body and is not this by the Apostle made use of as an Argument or Reason why Christians should not therefore judge one another in the matters of Religion nor set at nought their Brother in things in which he is neither to himself nor to any man but to the Lord only in that which he saith But why dost Rom. 10 1 thou judge thy Brother or why dost thou set at nought thy Brother we shall all stand before the Judgment seat of Christ For it is written As I live saith the Lord Every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God Doth not the Apostle herein reprove among Christians their judging one another and their setting at nought one another in the matters of Religion and all those things in which they are to the Lord and not to themselves or to man both as an usurpation of Gods right to whom only every knee must bow and every tongue confess as to all those things which are only proper to the Judgment of God and not to mans judgment and also as a violation of the Brotherhood which relation of equality and fellowship as Brethren in the things of God amongst Christians and as Members together of the same Body should be preserved in the unity of the Spirit and by the bond of Peace and to defer them from it by their being accountable to God for it Are not the Lord's Servants in the things of God which by Christ aâ—e distinguished from the things that are Cesars therefore to be left it liberty by Magistrates to stand or fall to their own Master that is to say as to their Consciences in matters of Religion and the Worship of God For in the regiment of their Souls and the dominion over their Consciences is not the Lord only their Master and not man And are they not therefore bought with a price that in the things of God they should not be the servants of men And wherein they are Freemen to be at liberty from the Laws of men are they not therein the Lord's Servants and under the Law to Christ and even in the Body are they not accountable to Him as their Judge whose Judgement-seat is set up in their Souls And by the Law of Christ are they not judged if they transgress in things in which rhey are at liberty from the Laws of men for doth not his Law take hold where their Laws cannot reach and are not their thoughts and the intents of their hearts opened in them and manifest to the searcher of hearts For is not the Sword of his Spirit i. e. his Word which is nigh them quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow to the descerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart And is not the Judge of all which either justifies or condems in every mans conscience alwayes before the door of their hearts in their own consciences to condemn al that either entreth in or cometh forth that is against him as it is written Grudge not one against another Brethren â—â— 5. lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door And in that which by the Apostle is concluded as inevitable viz. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Doth he â—â—m 14 â— not herein reasonably exclude the judgments of men in the matters of Religion and Conscience relating to the Worship of God as himself next saith viz. Let us not therefore judge one another any more but â—â— 14 â— judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way for seeing that no man can by any means redeem his Brother nor give to God a ransom for his soul but that every one must account for himself to God is it therefore reasonable that any man should impose upon another contrary to his faith and conscience and in the spiritual concernments of his soul relating to his everlasting being in which the Imposer cannot answer to God satisfactorily for the imposed upon nor redeem his soul he therein miscarrying And do not they put stumbling-blocks in
their persons for obedience to their just Commands in outward things relating to their outward man or have Christian Magistrates now the same dominion over the Spiritual Administrations of holy things in the Church by the members of the Church or by those who by the holy Ghost are made Overseers to feed the Church of God which they have over their persons for obedience to their just commands in outward things relating to the outward man For are Secular Laws and Penalties the means appointed by God to make Disciples for Christ or being made to regulate them in the Spiritual Service and Worship of God can the outward force of external compulsion by pains and punishments ever truly convert to God or make clean the heart or regenerate the soul or renew a right spirit in man And must not that regulate in the spiritual Service and Worship of God which begets and converts to God Nor is that which Christ saith Luke 14. 23. Compel them to come in to be understood of Secular force or outward compulsion but of the force of the Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God to Salvation and the compelling vertue of the Spirit of Christ which in the Ministry of the Gospel by answering the witness in the conscience reacheth to the spirit in prison and by a taste not only invites but by its power and vertue compels and draws to the Lord's Supper them that were scattered by their extravagant lusts nor did the Apostles in their Spiritual Warfare war after the flesh or by the help of humane force or outward compulsion For the weapons of their Warfare were not Carnal or by Secular Laws and Penalties but mighty through God to the pulling down the strong holds of them that strengthened themselves against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ neither did they revenge the disobedience of any in matters of Worship by the hand of the Magistrate inflicting pains and punishments on the body for they wrestled not against flesh and blood but against powers of darkness and the spirits of wickedness which strongly hold the creature under the dominion of Sin and the reign of the Devil And to them that restrain this prohibition of Christ viz. But it shall not be so among you as if Christ herein only prohibited the exercise of Heathenish Tyranny and Oppression among Christians I say what Tyranny and Oppression is greater than by might and power to over-rule the Faith of the Just and to oppress their Consciences And if Heathen Magistrates because of their power and greatness may not after their own wills and pleasures domineer and over-rule among Heathens in the things of the outward man may Christian Magistrates then by their power and might over-rule and domineer over Christians in the things of the inward man and which relate to the Spiritual Service and Worship of God And if a quiet and peaceable life in the exercise of all Godliness towards the Lord and in his Worship and Service and of all Honesty amongst men in their common occasions was the right of the primitive Christians from their then Heathen Magistrates though in the most material and weighty matters of Religion and Worship they differed from them why may it not be much rather the right of Christians now from their professed Christian Magistrates without being molested by them to live quietly and peaceably in the exercise of all Godliness and Honesty though they differ as to the manner of Worship they giving unto Magistrates the things that are theirs and unto God the things that are God's which Right that it might be enjoyed by the Lord's People they by the Apostle are exhorted That 1 Tâ— 1 2 Supplications and Prayers and Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that both they may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and Honesty that their Magistrates also may have the knowledge of the Truth and their souls saved And when through the Prophesyings of the Prophets Haggai and Ez 1 Zecharia by the commandment of God the Jews again began to build the House of God and though Darius the King as to the Religion and Worship of the Jews was a Heathen yet he did not hinder them nor at all molest them but rather furthered them by his assistance and protection and also furnisht them with Sacrifices to the end that Ez 6 9 they might pray for the Life of the King and for his Sons and that Wrath from God might not break forth against the Realm the King and his Sons And did not Artaxerxes in his Decree submit the concernments of the House of God to the Commands of God in that which he saith Ezra 7. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven let it be diligently done for the House of the God of Heaven for why should there be wrath against the Realm of the King and his Sons which latter clause by some is read the Realm the King and his Sons And whereas the examples of Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes Kings of Persia and reputed Heathens are by some brought as having authority over the Jews as to the building of their Temple and as regulating and reforming them as to their Sacrifices and Worship as Arguments to prove That Christians now are to be subject to their Christian Magistrates in the matters of Religion that is to say as to their Faith and Consciences in the Worship of God To which I answer first as to Cyrus What Commands did he impose upon the Jews as to the matters of their Religion or what force did he put upon them as to the building of the Temple was not the sum of his Proclamation for Liberty to the captive Jews to return to their own Land and there to build the Temple And was not this in their advantage and as they would have it as to their Liberty and to worship God as God himself had commanded them and might not who would go and who would stay And were not their spirits raised up by the Lord without the force of man who to build the House of the Lord went up with the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and the Levites Ezr. 1. 5. And was not the spirit of Cyrus also as to this thing stirred up by the Lord that the Word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled And though Cyrus as to other things perhaps may be reputed as a Heathen yet may this therefore be reputed as heathenish which was of the Lord and who long before he was born was by the Lord called his shepherd Isa 44. 28. And although Darius the king as to Religion and Worship differed much from the Jews yet herein was he not an example of moderation and of indulgence as to their liberty therein who were then under his Dominion as to their outward
with their doors shut greater opportunities to contrive Insurrections if that only were the matter and also the intent of their Meetings than the publick Assemblies of the Quakers with their doors open and experience hath sufficiently shewed that the Quakers are no Plotters except against the Devil and his wiles and devices nor is their warfare against flesh and blood for their weapons are spiritual I say what can be laid to their charge except in the matters of the Law of their God and what relates to his Worship and Service And in the opposite Commandments of God and men must not God by them be obeyed rather than men for is there any power or administration of Law to be submitted unto against the Lord And shall man prescribe to God his Worship who should not prescribe his own but by God's permission Is not this to oppose their power to the Power of God and to set their Judgment-seats above the Throne of God For are Magistrates the Governours of the immortal Souls of the Righteous have they power over the Spirit for the Worship of God is â—n 4. â— 24. in Spirit Do not they intrench on God's Prerogative and usurp in his Dominion who in the matters of Religion and materials of God's Worship do intrude outward and worldly Domination over the inward and Spiritual man For is the Spiritual man which judgeth all things and is himself judged of no man the Kingdom and Regiment of the Secular Powers and is the Soul their Judgment-seat are they the Lords over Conscience have they the Dominion over the things of God which by Christ are distinguished from the things of Caesar Mat. 22. 21. Will they give Law to that in man which is not of man and which they can neither protect nor punish and from which in themselves their Laws should be given For is the hidden man of the heart punishable by man which is not corruptible by the Devil or can they either save or kill the Soul or can they protect them from the Wrath of God who to save themselves from the wrath of man do in the things of God fear and hearken unto man more than unto God And in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God are not people rather to be taught and led by the Spirit of God in God's Authority than to be driven by the power of Magistrates and forced by the penalties and punishments of outward Laws And is that Worship acceptable to God which for its authority hath only the force and fear of man without the faith and fear of God Is it the outward worship of the bodily presence and exercise only that is so well-pleasing to God for neither doth the force of man reach further than to â—k 12 the outward body nor can the wrath of man work the Righteousness of God or rather is it not the inward and spiritual Worship in the Living â—n 1. â— Faith and renewed Spirit of God's faithful and true Worshippers that pleaseth God If the former why then was not Cains Sacrifice accepted and if the latter how then can the Laws of men and their most severe executions make any to worship God acceptably because by all their force they cannot give men Faith nor make new their Spirit for Faith is the gift of God and to renew a right Spirit in man is the work of God And without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14. 13. And it was by Faith that Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11. 4. And how can they whose Consciences are tender and not seared as with an hot Iron but be condemned in themselves if by the force and fear of men and their penalties and punishments they worship God in the way prescribed by man that is contrary to their Faith and against the judgment and feeling of their own Consciences and for which there is neither precept nor example in the Scriptures of Truth And if their own hearts and consciences condemn them God is greater 1 Joh. 3. 20. And so by the exercise of Force and Punishment in Religion and Worship are there not many made Hypocrites and are there not some made Hereticks For they are Hypocrites which appear to be that outwardly which they are not inwardly and they are Hereticks who by subversion sin and are condemned in themselvs so that their obedience is not for Conscience-sake but for Wraths-sake only And also by Force imposing things contrary to Faith and Conscience Are not many driven out from amongst them who cannot touch any unclean thing And when the Lord hath received them are they not then persecuted as Schismaticks and seditious Sectories And are themselves in the Faith which worketh by Love and which stands not in the wisdom and strength of men but in the power and operation of God who by mischievous Stratagems and the Force of men would wrack the Faith of others break their Peace and wound their Consciences who in their own hearts have the answer of a good Conscience in what they do and are in the Peace which passeth the understanding of them that hate and persecute them and are built up in the most holy Faith by which the Just live for their Meetings are in the singleness of their hearts and not under pretence as seditious Conventicles but in all simplicity and godly sincerity to worship God And is not to persecute for righteousness-sake Cains way for was not Cain the first Persecuter and was not Cain of that wicked one when in his wroth he slew his Brother because his own works were evil and his Brother 's righteous And are Revilings Menacings Striking Stocking Imprisoning and Banishing the Righteous for their Righteousness-sake are these the fruits of true and sincere Christians and the fulfilling of the Law of Love or are these Cruelties of the Lord for David saith The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and that he delighteth in his way Are these steps ordered by the Lord or Psâ— 2â— doth the Lord delight in this way And if the Devil be the original author of these immanities are not then raging foming Persecuters who travel with envy and mischief the Devil's Agents and the Executioners of his Wrath and Cruelties upon the Innocent for it is written Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tryed And Satan dwelt and had his seat where Antipas God's faithful Martyr was slain Rev. 2. 10. 13. And is the Lord their strength and his Arm and Protection their trust and confidence who cannot trust a poor naked and harmless people to meet together to worship God without suspition of contriving Insurrections when no cause was ever given by the Quakers to suspect them but only as by machination they are rendred as dangerous and seditious Sectaries and disloyal persons
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
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
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
Worship of God and that God can no otherwise be truly and spiritually worshipped but as is prescribed and allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England do they not consequently conclude the Worship of the Apostles and primitive Christians to be false who worshipped not by the prescript of the Liturgy but in Spirit before the Liturgy was And did not Christ to the Woman of Samaria say The hour cometh and now is 4. this was before the Liturgy when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth and that the Father seeketh such to worship him May it not therefore rather be asserted That God may be otherwise worshipped than by the prescript of the Liturgy or then is allowed by the practice of the Church of England to wit in Spirit and in Truth which by Christ is prescribed for the Worship of God and by the Apostles and primitive Christians was practised before the Liturgie was which Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth not only ended the Temple-worship at Jerusalem but also is repugnant to all the invented worships of every Nation And if it be said by any as in effect it hath been said by some esteemed wise and learned to justifie the use of the Common-Prayer-Book or Liturgie as they call it That there is no Form of Worship preâ—isely declared and prescribed by God for his Worship I answer If there be no Form of Worship declared and prescribed by God should not men then tremble to prescribe where God hath not prescribed and must that therefore be the Worship of God which is prescribed by men And if they find not precisely declared and prescribed the Form of God's Worship in the Scripture doth it therefore follow that the Form of God's Worship is not precisely declared and prescribed by God or that which may be thought to be omitted by God that it must therefore be supplyed by man Doth God precisely require his Worship and doth he not as precisely prescribe the Form how he will be worshipped to them of whom he requires it Was Moses faithful in all his house as a Servant and is not Christ as a Son over his own house for is not Christ the King and Prophet of his Church and is this only titular or an idle dignity without fruit or effectual operation and vertue for as their King and Prophet is not Christ ever present with his by his Spirit that dwelleth in them and that abideth with them for ever to teach them and to lead them and to guide and govern them for did not Christ before he was crucified tell his Disciples that he would not leave them as Orphans but that he would come to them again and manifest himself unto them and with the Father make his abode with them And is not Christ also in the bosom of the Father to make known his will concerning his own Worship and Service And do not his Sheep hear and know his Voice and learn of him and doth he not shew them plainly of the Father as it is written The time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in Parables but I shall shew you plainly of the Father Again Is not the manner and form of God's Worship precisely declared and prescribed by God in the Scriptures to be in Spirit and in Truth and if that be doubtful or hidden and unknown to them which are esteemed wise and learned which in the Scripture is written But the hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship â—n 4. the Father in Spirit and in Truth And if these be enigmatical sayings viz To them that have eyes and see but perceive not and have ears and hear but understand not God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth Yet herein is there not a â—hn 4. â— plain description by Christ of the Worship of God to them that are taught of God and have the mind of Christ and by the Spirit of Truth are led and guided into all Truth And wherein any thing which Christ spake to his Disciples whilst he was present with them in the body was at all obscure and ambiguous to them because of their weakness did not Christ direct them to the Teachings of the holy Spirit as to all things and for the bringing all things to their remembrance and opening their understandings in all whatsoever he had said unto them And what then in the Worship of God is there more precise which hath not been prescribed and declared at first by Christ and which since hath not been or may not in all the parts of God's Worship be plainly described by the holy Ghost in the hearts and consciences of God's faithful and true Worshippers whom the Father seeketh to worship him although perhaps it may be hidden from them who reject the Counsel of God within themselves and despise the most sure Conduct of his Spirit who leads into all Truth and who chuse to themselves the Worship which is after the Inventions and Commandments of men And forasmuch as God may be worshipped in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England as by the Apostles and primitive Christians he was before the Liturgy was and as by Christ is prescribed for the Worship of God to wit in Spirit and in Truth why should endeavours be used with such extremity against a People that fear the Lord whose consciences are tender and sensible and in the feeling of that which offends the Lord not only to obstruct them in their just-Liberty purchased to them as Christians by Christ and the free exercise of their Faith and Consciences to worship God in that manner in which God may be worshipped otherwise than is allowed by the Liturgy c. but also by their Laws to limit them to another manner of Worship than that in which God may be worshipped and otherwise than that into which they by the Spirit of Christ are led to worship God and other than that which by the primitive Christians was practised for the Worship of God and which they no where find in the Scriptures either limited unto or prescribed and which the Witness of God in their Consciences is against Do not the stronger herein by their strength rule over the weak in the things of God which by Christ are distinguished from the things that are Caesars Is not this by might and by power to over-rule the Heritage of God against their knowledge of the will of God and what God requires of them and against the divine wisdom and their spiritual understanding which God hath given them for his Service and Worship and against their faith and what they really believe to be the true and spiritual Worship of God and against the discerning and judgment which by the gift of God is seated in their hearts and souls by which they distinguish in themselves and do judge
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
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