man rather than of exercising Authority over them as to their Religion and manner of Worship in that he was not provoked to anger against them nor at all displeased with them for their enterprizing the building of the Temple without either his Command for it or knowledge of it and for that they desisted not from building though they thereunto were required till the matter was made known to the King by the chief Governours for the King on that side the River And what reason is here then for any to quote the example of Darius as if he exercised authority over the Jews as to their building the Temple and as if they could not righteously enterprize it without Command from the King being first had for it seeing that when they began to build they were so far from having the Kings Command for it as that the King knew not of it till by his Governours he was informed of it and that the work went fast on and prospered in their hands and also seeing that the Governours for the King could not cause them to cease but till the matter came to the King that from the King they might know his pleasure therein And after the Interruption by the force and power of the former Artaxerxes Ezra 4. 23. and in the Reign of this Darius is it not manifest by the Scriptures that the Jews again began to build the Temple by the Command of God only through the Prophesying of the Prophets Haggai and Zecharia Ezra 5. 12. Hag. 1 1 2 3 4 7 8 Hag. 1.1 12. And was not the spirit of Zerubbabel the Governour of Judah and the spirit of Joshua the High Priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the People by the Lord stirred up to work in the House of the Lord of Hosts their God Hag. 1. 14. And in that they could not be caused to cease but till the matter came to the King did they herein disobey the Governours for the King in contempt to his Government or rather was it not because the eye of their God was upon them Ezr. 5. 5. for did not they begin their work in obedience to the voice of the Lord their God and continue it in the fear of the Lord Hag. 1. 12. and was not the Lord's presence with them in their work as in that which is written Hag. 1. 13. I am with you saith the Lord And when the matter to wit of their building the Temple was made known to the King by Letter to him sent to that end from his Governours that were on that side the River did the King at all render the Jews as disaffected to his Government or disobedient to Magistrates or inconsistent with his Laws or did anger at all kindle within him against them for their enterprizing the building without his knowledge of it or commission for it or in his Decree did he at all intermeddle with them in their building either by his Commands to his Governours or by his own Commands to them except those Commands of his to his Governours to assist the Jews out of his Goods as to their great expence in building that they might not be hindred in their work and for Sacrifices to be given them day by day that by sweet savours offered to the God of Heaven they might pray for the life of the King and for the lives of his Sons Ezra 6. 8 9 10. for in the King's answer to the Governours that sent to him did not the King command the Governours not at all to meddle with the Jews in the building of the Temple but to let them alone that in peace they might build the Temple themselves in that which to them he saith Ezra 6. 6 7. Be ye far from them let the work of this House of God alone let the Governour of the Jews and the Elders of the Jews build this House of God in his place And did not the King by his Decree also protect them and strengthen their hands and inforce it by a great penalty and what in him lay did he not promote the continuance of their Protection by his Successors rather than to exercise authority over them as to the Temple and Worship of God as you may reade in Ezra 6. 11 12. And was not this also of the Lord who turneth the hearts of Kings as he pleaseth and not of the Heathenish nature as it is written Ezra 6. 22. For the Lord had made them joyful and turned the heart of the King of Assyria unto them to strengthen their hands in the work of the House of God the God of Israel And the Temple being finished in the sixth year of the Reign of Darius the King Ezra 6. 15. the Worship of God in his Reign was so established according to the Commandment of God Ezra 6. 16-22 as that here seems to be no need of a Reformation as to the Worship of God by Artaxerxes his Successor who by some is quoted for the Reformation of the Church And if in any thing the Church was not perfectly reformed as to the Worship of God might not the Worship of God as well be reformed by the Commandments of God in the Reign of Artaxerxes as they by the Commandment of God began to build the Temple in the Reign of Darius without either his Commission for it or knowledge of it May not the Reformation therefore by Artaxerxes the latter mentioned in Ezra 7. rather relate to the Civil Government of the Province of Judah which as yet was not reformed according to the Law of God than to the Worship of God in his Temple for when the Jews were not in Captivity but as free-men at liberty in their own Land were they not by the Ordinance of God both to be governed by Magistrates that knew the Law of God and also according to the Law which by God was given to Moses for their Government And to that end had not Ezra prepared his heart both to seek the Law of the Lord and to teach in Israel Statutes and Judgments Ezra 7. 10. And was not the hand of the Lord upon Ezra as well for the setling of the Civil Government in Judah according to the Law of God as for another return of the Jews to their own Land when Ezra made request to Artaxerxes the King who granted him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him Ezra 7. 6. for together with the King's Commission to Ezra given for all the People of Israel and the Priests and Levites that were within his Realm to go with Ezra that were minded of their own free-will to go up to Jerusalem was not Ezra as the King's Commissioner sent by Authority of the King and of his seven Counsellors to enquire concerning Iudah and Ierusalem according to the Law of God And over all the Land of Iudah and in Ierusalem to settle Magistrates and Judges that knew the Laws of God and to teach them
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
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
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
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
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