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spirit_n truth_n worship_n worship_v 19,034 5 9.4594 4 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A60631 A few plain words concerning conformity in matter of religion and worship and also concerning evidence and judgment in cases of conscience : published to all magistrates, juror's and people, within the nation of England. Smith, William, d. 1673. 1664 (1664) Wing S4301; ESTC R16572 7,379 10

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A Few PLAIN WORDS Concerning CONFORMITY IN Matter of Religion and Worship And also concerning Evidence and Judgment in Cases of Conscience Published to all Magistrates Jurors and People within the Nation of England SEing that the main thing now intended by the late Act of Parliament is to bring people into Conformity unto the Lyturgie of the Church of England as appears by the said Act in providing Remedies against all other Assemblies and Meetings as seditious Conventicles Now the main Question will be this Whether the Lyturgie of the Church of England be the true Reformed Religion and Worship according to the purity in Primitive times And whether such as discent from it do yet remain in the Apostasie This is the main Question now to be considered for the Lyturgie-worship as now practised in the Church of England is generally taken to be the best Reformed and nearest to the Apostolick Order and so is pressed and urged as the most Refined Religion and Worship to be observed Now how far it is Reformed and how near it is brought unto the Apostolick Order I shall not at this time compare or distinguish but if it were truly and rightly Reformed into the Primitive Purity and that the same Spirit of Truth had the ordering of it as the Apostles were ordered by then no Persecution would rise out of it for in the Apostolick Order there were never any therefore the Reformation is yet a far off from that Religion and Worship which was in the Primitive times and so the dissenting from it or not conforming to it doth not conclude the dissenters to be in Error because something may lie nearer the truth of the Apostolick Worship then what the Lyturgie of the Church of England is reformed into For if such as have received the Spirit of God and therein worship him have found something nearer to the Apostolick Practice than what is observed by the Lyturgie of the Church of England then they are to be allowed the liberty in their Worship without restraint or prohibition for the true Worship 〈◊〉 in the Spirit and they that worship God in the Spirit they are truly Reformed into the Apostolick Order and they cannot persecute any but walk in love and meekness towards all which is the clearest Evidence of the best Reformed Religion and that which lies nearest unto the Apostolick Order For the word Lyturgie signifies The Publick Service of the Church Now if the Lyturgie of the Church of England do not agree with the Lyturgie of the true Church in Primitive times then it is not transgression to dissent from it and there is nothing doth more infallibly demonstrate the disagreement than Persecution by it and suffering under it for the Publick Service in the true Church is by the Spirit of God and none can order the Church in things pertaining to God but by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God never persecuted any nor such as worship God in the Spirit cannot be of that mind for that is not a good service in the Church neither do such as are guided by the Spirit of God dissent from the Lyturgie but may be truly in the publick Service of the Church though not in the publick Service of the Church of England So then it remains to be enquired by such as yet know not what Religion and Worship is best Reformed and most agreeable to the Lyturgie or publick Worship of the Church in Primitive times and something may herein be said to answer any enquirer 1. That is the best Reformed Religion and Worship which is Reformed by the Spirit of God because that hath power to Reform and Change the heart and so to order the heart in the fear of God and in the publick service of the Church 2. That is the best Reformed Religion and Worship which stands in the freedom of the Spirit in which there is no binding or limitation but a free Service in the Church 3. That is the best Reformed Religion and Worship which stands in love peace and good-will in which there is no Restriction nor Persecution but a serving one another in love which is the publick Service of the Church 4. That is the best Reformed Religion and worship when every man doth to another as he would be done unto himself in which there is no envy hatred or malice but a peaceable and a holy life in all godliness and honesty which is the publick service of the Church These few things being well considered it will appear that the people who are called Quakers do not dissent from the Lyturgie but are due observers of it for as they are guided by the Spirit of God so their service is a publick service of the Church but the service of the Church of England is a private service compared with the many Religions and Worships that are in the world For nothing can be a publick service of the Church but that which is performed in the publick Spirit of God because the Spirit is an universal principle and in every Nation it guideth such as receives it and believes in it into one way and service and that is publick in every Nation and not tied or bound unto one Nation only for that which may be observed in one Nation is but a private thing compared with other Nations in the world that differ from them in matter of Religion and worship But the Spirit and power of God reforms Nations and gathers them into unity and peace in which they are true members of the Church and set in the publick service of it and if the word Lyturgie may be allowed to the Quakers according to its proper signification then they are in practice the best observers of it for their service is a publick service in the Church Now let all Magistrates who are commissioned to give judgement touching offences seriously consider for the matter is of such weight and concernment as worthy to be deliberated and not hastily to fall upon it in any rash conclusion for it is only seditious Conventicles which the late Act provideth Remedies against and gives this reason because at their Meetings they contrive Insurrections as late experience hath shewed Now the Quakers are not any way guilty of offending in these cases and that it may be the better understood I shall explain the signification of the words unto the Capacities of all sorts of sensible people Sedition is discord strife and debate Conventicle is a small Assembly commonly for ill things or as the Law expounds it where many do impart with others to kill a man or to take anothers part in ill things Lam. 173. Insurrection is a rising of men in Arms Now concerning all these things which is the very ground of the said Act there cannot any thing justly be laid to the Quakers charge for if experience in these cases be taken for good evidence then the Quakers Meetings are wholly cleared by the said Act for no such things