The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-10-01
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S~hen taken from, men contrary. 10 their
will and conference, TO be oppfehion and
facr;ledps, which oppreGon ! have 70 long
fnffered. notwithstanding | have borne tsi-
tmony againff the unreaionabIeneis and
injuffice thereof.
Laa year | applied TO fome OF the siiei-
5ors, and requeied that | might DC Tree
from this oppreffion. had no reaion gl-
ven of the juftice or equity of the demand,
but was told the law required and they
were under oath to aG.fs me to that man
ser; but could get no fatistaetion that
this law was made, or this oath taken upon
juft round, or with very eoodcoficlence'
would inueat you, SiTs, to- ooiidertbe
prefumptior, danger, and evIf eoHas quences
Of a law made by any other than divine
authority, to dne6f, order apo maintain
the wotfhip Of God. Does Is not ftand
a.fam to maintain any 100 strous wodhip
which TIE major part of the community
fhail ook upon to be right, as lt docs INC
only true worfhip for whlchir was pretend
ed 10 be made,i Nay, the very making luch
laws, where the divine revelation Is pro-
feiTed to b. believed, is great tteP to-
wa,ds idolatry, and IS departing from the
true worfhip, and is denying, Ie)eet'ng
and countersaing the foyerelgn authority
and government of him whole wo'in'P
they pretend to maintain, and 70 ttanas a.
q bar agalnff any true reformation.
What has been the effects of all the
laws of this kind made in all ages : has ls
not been the perfecutlon, bloocthed ana
martyrdom of thoie who worihiPped the
true God and would az knowledge no other
than his authority fuficient to direct IN
matters refpeaing his worlhiPs Was It
not luch laws that Obliged our tore fathers,
the fra fe,tlers of New England, TO leave
their native land And did they not with
fa,isfs6tlon and delight encounter and 60
through the great outward difficulties OF
Isttline here for the lake OF having liberty
to worfhip God according to his own VIII
mamie fed to them in his word and in their
confcences And ought it not TO DC for .
lamrntat.on that when another generation
arofe, they did not lock upon il thar fhe
law Of God was fuficient to direct, order
and MAINTAIN his worth p! refer to that
ihameful and ielf.inconffent a6flmade at
Bottom in the fourth year OF King Wilt
am and Queen Mary, (i6oa) Untitled, an
al for J<ft4emtnf and J4ppsyf 81 mi1jf'ri'
wherein after many and grievous imPoii-
tons, in which neither the word OF God
nor the condolences of men are permitted to
dictate, it is wraps up and covered BY way
of Aattery, and in dirse contradiction TO
the former part of the act, in theft words,
s. the REFLECTIVE churches in the ieveral
+" towns within this province, fhal at a J
f" times hereafter, uie, exerciie and enjoy
/" all tnesr privileges and freedoms reipeet-
as ing divine wo, ihiP, church order and
Is dilciphne."
would Elk what the churches privileges
and freedoms are, and why they may not
have the freedom to pray tie Lord OF the
barv n to (end labourers into his harveh,
and WHY they may not have the privilege
20 wait upon him to fend fuch IN his own
time, without being driven along and
forced by oroer, warrant ard taxes. into
fubiraion to that authority which, has n
furped the place of their divine head and
law-giyer. "a
Now, Sits, If infead Of your exseions
upon me to maintain what you call tbelwof-
mp Of God, you would tell me Of a place
upon earth, where the true wortap OF God
is Upheld and maintained, where the divine
prefenee. good. will and APPRECIATION ate
manifeA, would gladly repair 10 that
place and devote the little am, and have,
to the benefit of the true worfhipPers; it's
what have long been leekIng, and what
lihsli be glad to tnd.
# you cannot tell this, will law
made to Impole form of religion upon
Gods people, or an oath taken TO maintain
it by oppreAiOn, be covering broad enough
TO wrap yourfeIVes inf Or viii II tervs tor
bed in which your conlciences can long