The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-04-15
! FRI D AY, APRIL IS, 1874


je4ions, 20 frequently brought againit the
free exercife and liberty of confidence and
property, respecting divine worthip. You
tell me you look upon it that | ought to
petition the legilature of the province for
redrels. wanted, gentlemen, fome rea-
ION for your proceedings, iupPofe you do
not look upon it that you ought to act as
tools of power, and not as rational men /; if
70 it is your place, Sirs, to be latiSfied whe-
ther it belongs to the civil authority, to mo-
del divine worhip before you take upon you
an Office to execute its DEGREES in that ref
peet. If the queition 70 plainly above itated,
be anlwered negatively, and this right does
not belong to me, then | mutt acknow-
ledge my fault and ak forgiveness of thoie
to whom it belongs to direct me but if
the queifion be anlwered in my favour
and this right does belong to me, then that
man or body of men, who have injured me,
mutt ak my forgiveness and make atisfac-
ton if required if was to addrefs the
General AiIembly of the province upon
the location, mutt do it by way ofrcmon-
itranceand declaration of my right They
have already been petitioned for liberty OF
confidence, witnefs the very dutiful and
loyal petition of John Pain and Samuel
Peek, of Rohoboth, and many others, the
inhabitants of this province, in the year
1881, which am informed, is fill in the
courts Office but | fuppofe they had the
fame reafon not to hear it, which they frft
had to aHume that authority, which never
did, nor can, belong to any but the divine
Being You fay, | have liberty to be QUA
ker, Churchman or Baptif and 70 be free
from your form. Scripture nor nature
knows of no luch denominations, nor of
but oneway, and of but one people who are
accepted but in all nations, he that fears
Con and works righteOufnefs is accepted
of him. Will man Untitled to outward
liberty, be content with liberty, to chufe out
Of few modes of fayery and bondage
Much leis will they who worfhip COP, be
fet to pick out of old forms and cufoms,
which are after the traditions of men, and
not after Jesus CHRIST If it belongs to
you, Sirs, or any civil community, to direct
mein this refpeef, there needs bat one form,
! will fubmit to that, to which am direct.
ed, but if it apperains to the divine Being
to direct one, will fubmit TO him and not
hold for doctrine the commandments of
men, nor tranfgrefs the commandments of
Con to keep your traditions.
You fay further, you are of the mind if
there was no public worihip eifablifhed by
civil authority in this province, there would
be nothing but heathenilm and barbarity.
Is not this grofs reflection upon the au-
thcrity and religion of JESUS CHRIST, as
web as all thofe who profefs it in this pro-
vince, thus to facrihce to your net and burn
incenle to your drag Is there not authority
enough in the religion of JEsUs CHRIST,
to frike itsenemies with confuiion and even
with damnationi Is therenot rewardenough
In it for encouragement, to 60 on rejoic-
ing through all which it requires ! Are all
the inhabitants of this province, 70 void of
love to GoD and one another, as to keen
no form of religion bat what is dragged
out by human power If 70, by the way,
| infer the ifrange fituation we are in to di-
rect order and maintain the worfhip of Con
by a public vote. Are all the Southern
colonies to bedeemed heathenifh barbarians
for looking upon the divine authority, fuf-
hcient to maintain his own worfhip and
not dePriving their inhabitants of the free
exercile and liberty of confidence. If the
religion OF Jesus CHRIST cannot be main
tained without the civil authority; would
pray you to tell me what authority fet it
up, and what authority is that which hall
make every knee bow and ereyy tongile