who indeed are but as Lambs among Wolves and a prey to the beasts of the field and do not resist the evil and the wrong that is done unto them nor retalliate like for like not being overcome of evil but overcoming evil with good Nor is it their principle to plot and contrive Insurrections but patiently to bear their false Calumnies and chearfully to suffer their cruel Oppressions and are not ashamed of the Commandments of God to do his will nor of the Testimony of Christ for which they suffer but by the Power of God are made willing to partake of the Afflâ—ctions of the Gospel and do glory in their Tribulations not loving their lives to the death And loving their Enemies and praying for their Persecuters they commit the keeping of their Souls unto him who in his Faith and Patience is able to keep them throughout unto Himself in this their day of tryal and hour of temptation that by the fierce and sore wrath of man is come upon them And is it not as dangerous and more disloyalty to God for any to defame and judge Gods true Worshippers as seditious Sectaries who in the Spirit and in the Truth do worship God and God's spiritual and holy Worship into which by the Spirit of God they are led to be seditious Conventicles who is a Spirit and the Truth and therefore must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and such spiritual and true Worshippers the Father seeks to worship him John 4. 23 24. For is not this to defame and to judge the holy Spirit of God by which God's true Worshipers are led and in which they holily and spiritually do worship God to be seditious and his holy and spiritual Worship to be Sedition for is it not written He that speaketh evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaketh evil of the Law and judgeth the Law but if thou judge the Law thou art not a doer of the Law but 〈…〉 Are Christians to be each others Judges in the matters of Faith and Religion or are they to be Masters over the Consciences one of another concerning the Worship of God Is not the Lord himself alone both the Lawgiver and Judge as to his own Spiritual Worship and Service for is it not written There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy Who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4. 12. And if God only be the Lawgiver and Judge as to his own Worship and Service is it then in the power of any living upon the face of the Earth to prescribe to God his Worship or for the Worship of God with man's judgement to judge his true Worshippers And do not they prescribe who by their Laws and Penalties do bind and limit to a form of Worship not prescribed or limited unto by God nor in the practice of the Apostles and primitive Christians And do not they judge who arraign and sentence even to Prisons and Banishment them that for Conscience-sake cannot submit to what by men is prescribed for the Worship of God And are not their Meetings of the Lord and sealed in them to be well-pleasing in his sight by his Presence with them and his Appearance in them and among them for are not the manifestations of his Spirit and the operations of his Power in their holy Assemblies a sure Testimony from God of his acceptance of them in his Service and Worship And have they not then God's Authority for their meeting together in his Name the only Lord of their Consciences and the only Lawgiver for his own Worship and Service And must Magistrates in the things of the outward man by Christians be obeyed for Conscience-sake in things not against Conscience And must not the Lord himself by his People be obeyed for Conscience-sake in the things of the inward man And must every Ordinance of man be submitted unto for the Lord's sake that is not against the Lord and must not the Lord himself be submitted unto for his own sake by his true Worshippers in his own worship and Service And is not this to domineer and rule over and over-rule the Faith and Consciences of God's true Worshippers which by both Papists and Protestants in words is disclaimed which condemns their deeds to impose upon them in the Worship of God not only contrary to what in the sight of God is made manifest in their Consciences for the VVorship of God and which is according to the VVord of Truth and as by the Spirit of Christ in their hearts is prescribed to them but also in other manner than by the Apostles and primitive Christians God was worshipped before either the Common-Prayer Book or the Mass-Book was whose manner of VVorship was then said to be contrary to Law and by them called Heresie who reputed their own according to Law as it fares at this day with the Quakers who after the manner which is now called Heresie by them who are themselves in the Heresie they as the Apostles did do worship God even their Father in the Spirit and in the Truth And if the Apostles and primitive Christians did meet together above the number of Four besides the houshold and in their Meeting did worship God in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England before the Liturgy was why should it be made an unlawful meeting now and so capital as to be so severely punished as with Banishment for the Quakers to meet together before the Lord above the number of Four besides the houshold and in their meeting to worship God in that manner in which God may be worshipped otherwise than is allowed by the Liturgy or practice of the Church of England and as by the Apostles and primitive Christians God was worshipped before the Liturgy was to wit in the Spirit and in the Truth as they did seeing they are of the same Faith and in the same Spirit and Truth and under the same obligation as to their Consciences as they were And by Christ are purchased into the same Liberty for the free exercise of their Faith and Consciences towards God in his own Worship and one towards another in the Truth and Service of God and one another in the Lord which Liberty freely to exercise their Faith and Consciences in the Worship of God they may no more part with in vassalage to man than with their Lives for in the Liberty and Freedom of their Faith and Consciences in which Christ hath made them free are they not to stand fast to God alone whose Servants they are and the only Lord and Master of their Faith and Consciences and not again to be entangled with the Yokes of Bondage lest by captivating the Faith and defiling their Consciences they so become the servants of men as not becoming the Servants of Christ And if any notwiâ—hstanding what hath been said do yet assert That the Worship prescribed in the Liturgy is the only and true
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
The QUAKERS Vindicated from the Calumnies of those that falsly accuse them as if they Denyed MAGISTRATES and Disowned GOVERNMENT And as if both in Principle and Practice they were inconsistant with either In which is shewed That the true and sincere Quakers so called for of them I write are in the Spirit and Principle in which the Justice of Magistrates is obeyed and in which Magistrates are to administer their Government and that by their practice in good works they fulfill all just and good Government And that they have God's Authority for their meeting together to worship Him and the Name of Christ which is above every name to meet in And that their Worship in Spirit is allowed by the Scriptures of Truth and the practice of the Primitive Christians which was before either the Liturgie or the Masse-book was And that people in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God should rather be instructed and led by the Spirit of the Lord in Gods Authority than driven by the terrour of Magistrates and forc'd by the penalties and punishments of the outward Laws of Men. Also several Objections answered as to the exercise of Secular force and compulsion over the Conscience in matters of Faith Religion and the Worship of God By EDWARD PYOT But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgment and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgressions and to Israel his sin Hear this I pray you ye Heads of the house of Jacob and Princes of the house of Israel that abhor Judgment and pervert all Equity they build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity Mich. 3. 8 9 10. Knowing this that the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane c. 1 Tim. 1. 9 10. The Quakers vindicated from the Calumnies of those that falsly accuse them as if they denyed Magistrates and disowned Government c. IT is no strange thing if there be a talk among some people that the Quakers so called do deny Magistrates and disown Government for such there were in the times of Christ and of his Apostles who of malice some and others of ignorance slandered both Christ and his Apostles and the most sincere Christians of all Ages since with such false accusations and scandalous reports it was through envy and slander that Christ was by the Jews delivered as a Malefactor in this kind as Pilate well knew whom the chief Priest the Bâ—ders and Scribes with their multitude accused of perverting the Nations and forbidding to pay Tribute to Cesar and of stirring up the people and this they did under pretence of friendship to Cesar who in their hearts they hated they told Pilate that he was not Caesar's friend if he let him go when he sought to release him as finding no fault in him and cryed for Barrabas to be released who did indeed prevert the people and made Insurrection and committed Murder in the Insurrection and for Sedition and Murther was cast into Prison And they laid in many great grievious complaints against the Apostles as touching the Law of the Jews and of moving Sedition and of turning the world upside down and they accused them of doing contrary to the Decrees of Cesar And the Christians in after-times were said to be seditious and rebellious and pernicious to the Emperour and whatsoever evils happened among the people they were imputed to the Christians as the causers thereof Thus the most sincere Christians of their times have been scandalized defamed and persecuted by the malice of them who through their subtilty and envie to Righteousness have endeavoured by all ways and means to bring the most Innocent and upright People into contempt with their Rulers and to possess the ignorant people with prejudice against them that having rendred them infamous and dangerous they might be persecuted as such and as such many have unjustly suffered by their Rulers and by the mis-led people have been disregarded and had in base esteem and accounted as the filth of the world and as the off-scouring of all things And therefore it is no strange thing if the most sincere Christians of these times that are now reproachfully called Quakers and Sectaries and their Ministers Ringleaders as the Christians in the Apostles times were called Nazarens and termed a Sect and their Ministers Ringleaders be now slandered and defamed as if they denyed Magistrates and disowned Government and were in their principle and practice inconsistent with both by the scandalous reports of some who through their envy to Godliness and Sincerity have evilly surmised and hatched such things without any cause given whereby the Rulers also have been incensed against the Innocent as a People disaffected to Government And this subtile and malicious working was in Oliver's dayes as well as now and hath been through all the late Changes although the Quakers never gave occasion to any yet occasions have been taken against them by all and they have been made offenders and have deeply suffered by all who never justly offended any nor are in principle or practice prejudicial to either Government or Governours but are for the establishment of both according to the Ordinance of God and by their honest conversation which is according to the will of God in well-doing which well becometh good Government they do answer the end of Government and their Principle teacheth them according to the will of God to submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and they know it to be the will of God corcerning them that they may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men according as Peter writeth to the Christians that were scattered abroad in several parts That they should be of honest conversation among the Gentiles and submit themselves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream or unto Governors as unto them that 61. 2. are sent of him for the punishment of evil-doors and for the praise of them that do well and that this to do was the will of God concerning them that with well-doing they might put to silence the ignorance of foolish men And if well-doing which indeed is an honour to Government and not a disowning of it and which deserves the Magistrates praise and therefore is no denying them was a sufficient ground to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men in this matter as to the Christians in the Apostles times why may not the well-doing of the Quakers now who as to their honest conversation innocent life and quiet behaviour towards both Rulers and People have a large testimony in the consciences of all that know them be a sufficient ground to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as to this matter in this our day And those who so bewray their ignorance as thus to talk may not unfitly be
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
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
â—â—g â—4 â— 43. is it not recorded as their remisness that they were not by them demolished Howbeit they forc'd none no not to sacrifice to the true God in the high-places but suffered it in those that did And although Jehoash Amaziah Azariah and Jotham did many things that were right in the sight of the Lord yet did not they all leave standing the high-places and under their Reigns and Government did not the people still sacrifice and burn Incense in the high-places which by the Law of God was not lawful for them to do but in the Temple only And as to the courage and fidelity of Hezekiah and the zeal and piety of Josiah and their more thorow Reformation so much spoken of to wit their throwing down the high-places as well those which by the former Reformers were left standing as those which after were built and their breaking down the Altars and casting out the Images and their countenancing the true Worshippers and encouraging the Worship of God according to the Law and Covenant of God all which as aforesaid is objected by some as examples for Christian Magistrates to follow and for them therefore to exercise their Authority as to matters of Religion To which I answer If the Lord put it into the hearts of Christian Magistrates so far to tread in the steps of the good Kings of Judah as to encourage the true Worship of God which is in Spirit and in Truth and not after the inventions of men and to protect God's true Worshippers in their Worship of God and to exercise their Authority for the removing the heaps of high-places in Christendom which neither were built either by pattern or Command from God and for the demolishing of their eminent places with their Altars within them and Popish Images about them who of the Lord's People would be grieved therewith for which reade 2 Chron. 34. 3 4. 2 Kings 23. 18. 4. 2 Chron. 30. 14. Numb 33. 52. Deut. 7. 5. 12. 2 3. And as before it is observed Was it not recorded as the remisness of the former good Kings of Judah That the High-places were not removed though in them the people sacrificed to the true God only But did those good Magistrates and Reformers in the Church and Commonwealth of Judah at all prescribe to God his Worship or did they administer their Power for the execution of their own wills concerning the Worship of God Was not their Authority by them exercised for the establishment of the Law of God and his Ordinances for his Wolship and Service according as by Moses was declared and written before them and for the keeping of God's Testimonies which by God was testified in his Spirit by his Prophets and in their own consciences For did not Iosiah make a Covenant before the Lord To walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies 2 Châ—â— 34. â—â— and his Statutes with all his heart and with all his soul and to perform the words of the Covenant which were written in the Book that was found in the House of the Lord And of Hezekiah is it not said That 2 Kiâ—â— 18. â—â— he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his Commandments which the Lord commanded Moses And of Iehosaphat is it 2 Câ—â—â—7 4â— not said That he sought to the Lord God of his Father and walked in his Commandments and not after the doings of Israel And when Asa had taken away the Altars of the strange gods and the High-places c. did not he command Iudah or rather as it is in some Translation he 2 Châ— 14. 4â— said unto Iudah that they should seek the Lord God of their Fathers and do after the Law and Commandments And was not the uprightness of their hearts such as to the Lord his Law and Commands to them in what they did as that their Commands by the people were obeyed as the words and Commandments of God as it is written 2 Chr. 29. 15. And they gathered their Brethren and sanctified themselves and came according to the Commandment of the Kings by the words of the Lord c. for they in their Commands obeying the Word of the Lord the Hand of the Lord was so upon the people as that they obeyed their Commands as the Word of the Lord as it is written 2 Chr. 30. 12. Also in Judah the Hand of God was to give them one heart to do the Commandment of the King and of the Princes by the Word of the Lord. But to conclude both as to Christian Magistrates and also as to Heathen Magistrates If Heathen Magistrates command Christians even in the matters of Religion the Commandments of the Lord only and not their own against their Lords are they not even by Christians to be submitted unto for the Lords sake And if Christian Magistrates command Christians even as to the Worship of God the Commandments of Christ answering to the Witness of Christ in their consciences that are to obey and not by carnal compulsion or the force of man against their Faiâ—h and Consciences are they not by Christians to be obeyed yea and even for Conscience sake But if the Commands of Magistrates whetâ—er as to their profession they be either Heathens of Câ—ristians be contrary to the Commands of God and our Lord Jesus Christ and against the Faith and Consciences of Gods faithful and true Worshippers in this case is not the Lord rather to be obeyed than Men
submitted unto for the Lord's sake as it is written Pet. 2. 13 14. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well And those who are subject to the Power of God as the Power of God reigns in their souls and bears rule over their whole man which Power of God is the Higher Power unto which every soul is to be subject as well the Rulers in their Rule as the Ruled in their Obedience they must needs be subject to the Government of the same Power of God as it reigns in the souls of their Rulers and as it bears the Rule in their Governments for the Power of God which is to reign and rule in every mans own particular is the same which is to reign and rule in the Governments of men else how are they condemned in themselves who resist the Power as it rules in Government Rom. 13. 2. It is the reign of the Power to condemnation in them that resist that condemns them for their resisting the Rule of the Power as it reigns in Government And therefore those that are subject to the reign of the Power of God as it rules in themselves they must needs be subject to the Rule of the Power of God as it reigns in the Governments of men But the Quakers are subject to the Power of God and in their souls the Power of God reigns and bears the rule over their whole man and therefore the Quakers must needs be subject c. And for Conscience-sake they are subject to the Governments of the same Power of God as it reigns in their Rulers and as it rules in their Governments neither dare they resist the Power of God in their Rulers lest the Power of God in themselves be their condemnation But rather that by the Regal Reign and Rule of the Power of God in themselves they may be so regulated and their wayes so bounded unto the Lord as that within the limits of the Power they may be preserved to answer the same in their Rulers and their conversations in the fear of God so ordered and by his Wisdom and in his Counsel so directed and governed that as the same rules and guides in their Rulers they be found regular with all just and good Government and that in the Dominion of the same Power of God reigning in them by which Kings reign themselves in the Power may reign as Kings on Earth over all unrighteousness And that by the Sovereign Conduct of the same Wisdom of God dictating and prescribing to them by which Princes decree Justice they may be led in the wayes of Righteousness and guided in the midst of the paths of Judgment and the glorious Lord be unto them a place of broad Rivers and Streams and their Judge their Lawgiver and their King And so they being subject to the Power of God in themselves how can they resist its rule in their Rulers And their conversations being guided by the Counsel of God in themselves how can they transgress its conduct in Governments Nay but when Government is reduced to its true principle and first foundation and as Governours are restored to their just and primitive Judicature Isa 1. 26. 60. 17. that Judgment returns to Righteousness as its principle the Principle of Justice which is of God the gift of God in which Judgement is to be â— 4. 85. â— â—5 executed when Mercy and Truth meet and Righteousness and Peace kisse each other For Righteousness shall look down from Heaven and Truth spring out of the Earth and Judgment run down as Waters and Righteousness as a mighty Stream And when the Power of God only shal be the strength of Rulers and the Authority and Ability of their Rule and God's Wisdom their Guide and his Justice their Principle in their Governments and administration of their Laws and Gods Presence with them their Confidence and the stability of their times and not the Arm of flesh and Force of man nor sensual subtilty and craft I say when these things are accomplished and God's Promises fulfilled as to the Governments both of Nations and Families And the day hastneth in which Iniquity shall have an end for the Lord hath overturned and is overturning and will overturn until he come whose right it is and his day is begun in which he rules in the midst of his Enemies and will wound the heads over many Countries who Ps 1â— Eccl 36. â— in their hearts say There is none other but we though darkned to many by the clouds in which he comes And then the Quakers as in their own consciences they are now clear in the sight of God as to their owning of Magistrates and submitting to their Governments in what righteously they can so then shall they stand justified in the sight of men yea even in the consciences of their greatest enemies And what can they now be accused of even in these times of Defection and Apostacy and the now hour and power of Darkness in which the Sea roars and the waves thereof are let loose in upon them and the foundations of the Earth as it were moved because of them and if but five or more besides the houshold do meet in their own hired house to worship God the third step in this path is Banishment and so to worship God out of the form of their Liturgy though it be in Spirit and in Truth is by this Generation made a Crime and worthy of Banishment if the number of five or above as aforesaid do meet for if they do but say they met together to worship God it is evidence enough to the Court saith the Judge for the Jury to bring them in guilty in order to their Sentence for Banishment May not the wise in heart hear and perceive at what they strike and what strikes and Solomons prophetick sight fulfilled Eccl. 3. 16. Moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgment that wickedness was there and the place of Righteousness that Iniquity was there And but a few years since the publick use of the Liturgy in Worship was accounted disobedience to Magistrates and was cryed against in the Pulpits But though they have no helper on earth and the Power great that is risen up against them as Solomon beheld the tears of them that were oppressed and they had no comforter On the side of the Oppresser there was power but they had no comforter Eccl. 4. 1. yet the Lord is with them and is their strength yea and their inward consolation and exceeding great reward in all their tribulations And is it not God's Presence with them the power and purity of his Appearance among them that makes the workers of Iniquity afraid and the Devil of his Kingdom for are not Meetings by fours privately and
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
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
in Christ Iesus are called sanctified through the Truth in which many are one Body and all Members one of another and all partakers of one Bread and all made to drink into one Spirit And as Christians therefore are not all Brethren as in that state and the Chiefest to be the Servant of all and that not titularly only and be served of all but in the Truth and for the Gospel-sake to serve all And whereas those Scriptures viz. Let every soul be subject to the Rom 13. Tit. 1 Pâ—â— 2. 3 higher Powers c. and Put them in mind to be subject to Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates c. and Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake c. are many times by many brought against the Quakers thereby to signifie to them as if subjection and obedience to Magistrates as to their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God is required of them by the authority of these Scriptures I answer That in these Scriptures precited here is indeed required subjection and obedience even by Christians to Magistrates in all those matters and things which concern their outward man but that subjection and obedience to Magistrates by Christians as to the exercise of their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God which are the concerns of the inward man cannot reasonably be understood here to be required by the Apostles in these Scriptures I offer this as reason viz. Because the then Magistrates to whom obedience was required by the Apostles as to Religion were Heathens and worshippers of false gods And is it reasonable for any to believe that the Apostles herein required that the primitive Christians should subject the exercise of their Faith and Consciences under the dominion of them that as to their Religion were Infidels or that the Church of Christ as to matters of Religion and the Worship of God should be governed by Heathen Rulers that were themselves Idolators and worshippers of false gods And if it should be yet asserted by any That the Apostles here in these Scriptures intended the subjection and obedience of the inward man and that the primitive Christians were to be subject as to their Faith and Consciences in the matters of Religion and the Worship of God to the then Heathen Magistrates will it not then follow that if the then Heathen Magistrates had made Laws to force the primitive Christians from their Christian Religion and their Worship which is in Spirit and in Truth according to the Doctrine of Christ John 4. And to require them to worship the false gods of the Heathen i. e. the Idols which the then Heathen Magistrates worshipped Must not the primitive Christians then of necessity have been subject And is not this absurd to assert And must it not therefore of necessity follow that the subjection and obedience here required by the Apostles in these Scriptures is only as to all those matters and things which relate to the outward man and not at all of the subjection of the inward man in the things of God which relate to his own Spiritual Worship and Service And as to this distinction did not Christ himself distinguish between things and ascribe to God his things i. e. the things that are proper to God only and not to man and also allow unto Caesar his things i. e. to the chief Magistrates of every Nation the things that belong to them in that which he saith Render therefore to Cesar the â—atth â— 21. things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods And is not the inward man the Image of God and are not the things of the inward man which relate to the Worship of God of his inscription or under his only Dominion as Caesar had his image and superscription stampt on their Coin to signifie his Dominion over them as to the things of their outward man And in that which Peter saith Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man c. is it not manifest that he herein intended their submission in the things of the outward man by his own example in the case for when the Magistrates interposed their Commands in the things of God did he not answer them saying Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto â—cts 4. â— God judge ye And again did not he with the other Apostles in answer to the Magistrates say We ought to obey God rather than men And â—cts 5. â— was it not as to the matters of Religion and for the exercise of their Faith and Consciences in the Service and Worship of God that the Apostles and primitive Christians suffered Persecution by the Magistrates And whereas when things by Magistrates are commanded which for Conscience-sake cannot be obeyed by them who endeavour to keep their Consciences void of offence that which is written Rom. 13. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for Conscience-sake is often objected thereby to insinuate That Magistrates have dominion over the Conscience in the things of the inward man I answer That every man is bound in his Conscience by the Lord and to the Lord to obey the just Commands of their Magistrates not only for wraths sake by man but also for conscience sake to God according to this Scripture is not at all by the Quakers denied But because Magistrates are to be obeyed for conscience sake to God and as the conscience is bound by God to their obedience and not by man doth it therefore follow that Magistrates have dominion over the conscience And are not Magistrates as wel to be submitted unto for the Lord's sake as for conscience sake or have Magistrates dominion over that in others which in themselves hath dominion over them For is not that in man called Conscience which in the light of Christ both knows and feels and which as it were is the Throne of God in man and the Seat of his divine Law and of the Justice of God for hath not every man either peace or trouble as with the Light of Christ which is the Law of God in his own conscience he is either justified or condemned Or can Magistrates be obeyed for conscience sake in things against conscience or can they be submitted unto for the Lord's sake in things against the Lord or must Magistrates be obeyed for conscience sake in the things of the outward man and must not the Lord be obeyed for conscience sake in things of the inward man which concerns his own Worship and Service or do they either obey God or Magistrates for conscience sake who in the Worship of God are by men forc'd against their consciences And because Magistrates are by Christians to be obeyed for conscience sake may it not therefore be of caution to Magistrates in their Government to take heed that they require nothing against
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