THE PUBLIQUE WORSHIP OR The Worship of God Baptisme and Sacrament so called according to Gods appointment or as hereafter appeareth And concerning coming to the Church according to Scripture And also a Prophesie of Christ in fulfilling and how it is against the Law of the Land to banish Christians for the Service and Worship of God Together with an Epistle to Friends Written in the Year 1664. by R. F. Printed in the Year 1664. CONCERNING The Worship of GOD Baptism and Sacrament So called And coming to Church as hereafter followeth AS there is one onely true God who is a Spirit so there is one worship of God under the new covenant and gospel dispensation John 4.23.24 which is the worship of God alone and is to be performed in spirit and in truth according to the mind of the Lord who is to be worshipped and as there is one body Eph. 4.3.4 and one spirit so are the true spiritual believers and worshippers of God the Father in spirit truth which is the true publick worship of God called in one hope of their calling Colos 1.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 and they are to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace or in Christ Jesus who is the covenant of peace and the hope of glory wherunto they are called even into him who is the hope of their calling to whom God doth make known what is the riches of the glory of the great mistery of Godliness which is Christ in them the hope of glory And as there is one spirituall Lord and one spirituall Faith so there is one spirituall Baptisme Eph. 4.5 6 7. amongst them that are the caled of God the Father of them all who is above all through all and in them all who giveth grace to every one of them according to the measure of the gift of Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 12.12.13 for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ for by one spirit we are all baptized into one body and have been all made to drink into one spirit so that as the Saints true spiritual believers are baptized by one spirit into Christ Jesus John 6.32.48.49.50.51 they also do unite and meer spiritually in him even to eate and drink spiritually together in a sweet spiritual communion and he is bread and wine our souls nourishment and feeding to them who are to live in him and feed spiritually upon him for he is the bread of life come down from Heaven for Immortall souls to eate of and live for ever this is the bread that cometh down from heaven which a man may eate of and not dye eternally Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life John 6.27 Which the Son shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed for the bread of God is he which came down from heaven and giveth life unto the world And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst John 6. 35 who then would not but come unto Christ that their fouls might eate and drink spiritually in him and be satisfied with his vertue and sweetnesse that they might live for ever and not dye eternally and as many as are baptized into Christ doe put on Christ and they are all one in him and such are Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus and are heires according to the promise Gal. 3.26.27.28.39 And for as much as to be a Christian and member of the Church of Christ according to the constitutions and Cannons of the Church of England is to be Baptized and to be Baptized is to enter into a Covenant with God by promise and vow made unto God before many witnesses to be perfect and free from sin First In forsaking the Devil and all his works Secondly In keeping Gods Holy will and Commandements and walking in the same for term of life and also to be regenerate and born again Seeing then that it is so ought not the Priests to perform to the People what they have promised to them and ought not they to perform unto God what they promise and vow unto him and if the Priests cannot regenerate any they cannot baptize any and untill they can regenerate them ought they not to excuse the People for not bringing their Children unto them and if they be not regenerated they are not baptized according to the Constitutions and Cannons as aforesaid and if they do not forsake the Divell and all his works and keep Gods holy will and Commandements and walk in the same all the dayes of their lives arid be not regenerated how then are they Church members if they be not such how are they the Children of God and inheritours of the Kingdome of Heaven confider well of it Concerning the Sacrament as now it is by many so called And concerning the Passover there was and is a Spirituall Feast to be kept amongst the Saints and true Christians for Christ is their Passover who is sacrifized for them 1 Cor. 5.7.8 Purge out therefore the old Leaven that ye may be a new lump ye are vnleavened for even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us therefore let us keep the Feast not with old Leaven neither with the Leaven of mallice and wickednesse but with the Unleavened bread of Sincerity and Truth 1 Cor. 5. So that as Christ is the Saints Passeover and is Sacrificed for them they are to keep a spiritual feast that is to say the Feast of Un-leavened bread the bread they are to keep this feast with is the Unleavened bread of sincerity and truth and Christ who is the Saints Passeover is the Unleavened bread of sincerity and truth or the bread of life come down from Heaven for them to keep the Feast with and as he is the bread which the Saints are to break or administer and feed spiritually upon so he is the wine or water of life to refresh souls spiritually withall for he is the spirituall Vine and as wine is the vertue of the Vine so the vertue of Christ who is the true spiritual Vine is as spiritual wine to the souls of the Saints for their refreshment and great consolation and if to receive Christ Jesus be to receive the signification and substance of the word Sacrament and so in effect to receive the Sacrament then we have receive and do receive Christ Jesus therefore we have and do in effect receive the Sacrament because we receive the signification thereof as aforesaid Concerning coming to the Church And concerning the Church it consists of Regenerate ones who live up to a righteousnesse of Faith towards God and a righteousnesse of life both towards God and man First In forsaking the Divel and all his works and Secondly In
keeping Gods holy will and conmandements and walking in the same all the daies of their lives being such as are governed and are sanctified by the spirit of God and are of the houshold and family of God and this is according to the constitutions and Cannons of the Church of England then to meet together in point of Religion and worship of God with them that live up to a righteousnesse of Faith towards God and a righteousnesse of life both towards God and man who are regenerated or born again and are of the houshold and family of God who are also sanctified arid governed by the spirit of God is to come to the Church though they cannot meet in point of Religion and worship with them that are not such as aforesaid and with such as abovesaid we meet with all in point of Religion and Worship of God therefore we come to the Church and worship of God as aforesaid And acording to the Scriptures the Church is in God the Father of out Lord Jesus Christ but Steeple-houses or Parish-meeting places are not in God how then are they Churches and why are people presented and punished for not coming to Steeple-houses or Parish-meeting-places seeing they are not Churches according to the Scriptures for Paul and Silvanius and Timothyus write to the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ but in writing to the Church in God they did not write to Steeple-houses or Parish-meeting-places therefore people may be in the Church and come to the Church according to the Scriptures though they come not to the Parish-meeting-places 1 Thessalonians 1. and 2. Thessa 1. Again Christ is declared in Scripture to be the head of his body the Church so that the Church is the body of Christ according to the Scripture Eph. 1.22.23 Eph. 2.19.20.21.22 but Steeple-houses or Parish-meeting-places are not the body of Christ how then can they be said to be Churches whereby it is evident that people may be members of the Church of Christ and come to the Church according to the Scripture though they come not to the Parish-meeting-places 5. Ephe. 23.24.25.26.27.32 And as concerning the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.15.16.17.18.19.20 the Saints body under the new covenant and Gospell dispensation are said to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost for God to dwell in through the spirit and the Saints are said to be as a spiritual building fitly framed in Christ Jesus and do grow together in him to an holy Temple in the Lord 2 Cor. 6.16 in whom they are also builded together for an habitation of God through the spirit and this is according to the Scriptures 2. Ephe. 19 20 21 22. so that to meet with the Saints of God is to come to the Temple of God according to Scripture And concerning the house of God according to the Scripture and under the new Covenant and Gospel dispensation the Holy Brethren who are partakers of the heavenly calling who hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end are declared to be the house of God and Moses verily was faithfull under the Law in all his house as a servant for a Testimony of those things which was to be spoken after but Christ as a Son over his own house under the Gospel whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end according to that of the Apostle to the Hebrews Heb. 3. And as concerning the meetings of the people of God called Quakers in meeting together with them that are born of God and are governed and sanctified by the spirit of God in point of Religion and Worship of God according to Gods appointment or agreable to Gods holy Will and Commandements ought they not to be owned allowed of countenanced and tollerated by the Episcopal and Protestant Priests Rulers and People because they have covenanted with God and caused others to covenant with him by promise and vow made unto God before many witnesses to keep Gods holy will and Commandements and walk in the same all the daies of their lives And therefore for us and others to live up to a righteousnesse of life towards God and man and in meeting together according to Gods appointment and walking answerable to Gods holy will and Commandements and continuing therein is according to the fundementalls of the Episcopal and Protestant Religion And for so doing we ought not to be fined presented or punished either by Eclesiasticall sensure or Temporal punishment but rather to be freed and clearly acquitted therefrom to all intents constructions and purposes whatsoever if they regard their promise and vow made unto God as aforesaid A Prophesie of Christ which was Prophecied above sixteen hundred years since hath been and is now in fulfilling c. GOd is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him John 4.23 24. And because God is a spirit he will have his people to be spiritually minded that they may mind the things of the spirit Rom. 8.5 6. Seeing that God is a spirit and requireth his people to worship him in spirit why should they be compelled from the worship of God in spirit or punished and persecuted if they do not forsake the way and worship of God to follow the Ceremonies and Inventions of Men what cause is there for it but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled is this come to passe For Christ Jesus hath said to the Disciples and true Believers in him they shall put you out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God good service And these things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me John 16.2 3. It is evident that by the Scriptures or prophecy of Christ First that the Disciples of Christ and true believers in him shall be excommunicated or put out of the synagogues Secondly that the believers in Christ and worshippers of God the Father in spirit and truth shall be in great danger of their lives for saith Christ in his prophecie John 16.2 They shall excommunicate you or put you out of the synagogues and that part of the prophecie of Christ is fulfilled and now in fulfilling Yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service and is not that part of Christs prophecie also near at hand to be fulfilled Two things are very observable from hence First That the Saints and Believers in Christ shall be excommunicated or put out of the sinagogues by Enemies or Strangers to Christ Secondly That after excommunication or being put out of the sinagogues by such they shall be in great danger of their Lives If it be asked who they are that shall deal thus hardly and cruelly with the Saints and Believers in Christ as First to excommunicate
that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 But persecutors are in the flesh therefore persecutors cannot pelase God neither have they that are in the flesh any right given from God to persecute them that are in the spirit in whom the righteousnesse of the Law is fulfilled even in them who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit as it is written Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. 1. The true spiritual Christians who are regenerate and born after the spirit they are the true believers in Christ and worshippers of God the Father in spirit who are sought and taught of the Lord according to his word Therefore there is no reason why they should be hated and persecuted neither hath the spirit of the world any right or authority given unto it from God to hate and persecute them that are regenerate and born of God For they that are regenerate and born of God are the houshold and family of God and have access unto him by the spirit through his son as it is written Ephes 2.18.19 2. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus because they have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts and do live in the spirit and walk in the spirit and bring forth the fruits of the spirit against which there is no law Gal. 5.22 23 24 25. For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the Law of Sin and Death and the righteousnesse of the law is fulfilled in them Rom 8.1 2. c. And if there be no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who have forsaken the flesh and are entred into the Spirit and life of truth to walk after the spirit and worship the Father therein being dead unto sin and alive unto God through Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 6.7 8 9 10 11. What right reason can any one give for the haring reviling persecuting or banishing of them Who shall lay any thing to the change of Gods Elect seeing it is God that justifieth them Who is he that condemneth seeing it is Christ that dyed who is risen again who is even at the right hand of God an Intercessour who also maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.32 33.34 3. They are the true spiritual Christians and Worshippers of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who being born again of water and the spirit are ingrafted or begotten into Christ the seed and power of God and are therefore declated new Creatures and Children of God Why then should such be hated persecuted excommunicated or banished What right reason can be shewed for the fame for we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not and we know that we are of God and the whole world lyeth in wickedness and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and life eternal 1 John 5.18 19 20. Lye not one to another seeing you have put of the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him where there is neither Greek nor Jew Barbarian Scythian bond or free but Christ is All and in All Colos 3.9 10 11. As ye therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk yee in him rooted and built up in him and established in the Faith as yee have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving Colos 2.6 7. Therefore if any man be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Behold what manner of love is this that the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not 1 John 3.1 Be yee therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Ephes 5.1 2. And because yee are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father wherfore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heire of God through Christ Gal. 4.6 7 4. They are the true spiritual Christians believers in Christ and the true worshippers of God the Father in spirit and in truth who being regenerate are sanctified through the word and are in Christ Jesus as branches in the Vine And such ought not to be hated and persecuted by them that profess themselves Christians for the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Tit. 3.4 5 6. John 15. 5. They that are in Christ Jesus as branches in the Vine bearing fruit they are purged that they may bring forth more fruit John 15.1 2. And they that are so in Union with Christ as branches in him and purged or made clean through the word that they may abide in him and he in them they bring forth much fruit unto God by vertue of that union for as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can true Christians and worshippers of God the Father in spirit except they abide in Christ Jesus and grow up in him John 15.3 4 5. And they that are such and do so ought not to be persecuted or banished by them that profess love to the Lord Jesus no just cause by them can be shewed for it and the Heathen who know not God they have no right to do it And by the Law of the Land no man can be banished our of his native Country but either by Authority of Parliament Cook 2. part inst fol. 47. or in case of Abjuration for Felony by the common-Law saith Cook upon Magna Chartafol 47. But it is not Felony to worship the Lord nor it is not enacted and declared by Authority of Parliament that people shall be banished for the service and worship of God therefore Christians ought not to be banished for their love and faithfulness unto Christ Jesus as aforesaid An Epistle to Friends DEar Friends and Bretheren and Sisters begotten and brought forth by the Immortal word who are of the family of the heavenly love which is the houshold of Faith and so of the eternal God and all who are in any measure acquainted with him dwell in the power by which you are brought forth as a people for his praise in these perilous times