Christian Reader:—

I direct this my book to thee, without any regard to one sect more than another, for the unity and fellowship of God’s people is Love, and this Love is the bond of perfectness, and by this Love shall all men know that we are Christ’s disciples; and if this Love be with us and dwell in us, by it we shall know that we are translated from death unto life; for that faith that purifies the soul works by this Love, and by this faith which works by Love we come to have the victory over the world.

Beloved brethren, Since that great apostacy hath been, which the holy apostles did in their day fore-tell of, which hath spread over nations and kingdoms, so that the very names of things in scripture hath been (and in many things yet are) wrongly applied and generally believed to be that which they are not; and those false customs which this great apostacy hath brought in hath been received (and yet are in many things) for truths; but God hath in these latter ages raised up such lights in the world at several times as hath discovered much of the great mystery of iniquity; but they have always been accounted (at their first appearing) as deceivers and seducers and the like, by the dark world in general, and met with great opposition from the powers of this world, even from the powers of darkness; but the God with whom all power is hath so borne them up, through their faith, that the gates of hell were not able to withstand them, nor all the powers of darkness able to gainsay them, so that Satan hath been forced to fit up a new form of pretended holiness to deceive the world with, at several times, yea, even at every such appearance of the light of the gospel; for so often as the Lord hath been pleased to reveal unto his Church the life and light of the gospel, by shining into the hearts of his children, so often hath there been a falling away, and that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, hath at such times endeavored to work in the hearts of governors and great men of the earth to set up that which they imagine to be the worship of God, and to maintain the same, and this hath ever been a snare and net whereby God’s children have been ensnared and hypocrites set up; for the true worship of God is in righteousness and true holiness in the inner man, and none can thus worship God till he sets them free from the Egypt of sin, and works this righteousness in their own hearts by his own Spirit; and such as these cannot conform to any prescribed form set up by the powers of darkness of this world, without procuring the great displeasure of God; for they are to be God’s witnesses of that worship which God hath set up in the hearts of his own children, who alone can worship God in spirit and in truth, and none else; and these are the light of the world, and yet are but strangers and pilgrims in the world; for their kingdom is not of this world. But those that fall away from the spirit of truth into the spirit of the world are the false prophets and antichrists, and these are they whom the world doth follow and close with, according to scripture testimony; for saith the scripture, They are of the world, and the world heareth them; he that is not of God heareth not us; by this we know, the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Here is a plain description laid down for us to know the false prophets by, to wit, “for the world heareth them”; by this we know they are always the greatest number, because the body of the people will hear and speak well of them; but the world will not hear and speak well of the true, saith the scripture; and this is the description the scripture gives us to know them by. I John 4, 5, 6. Luke 6, 26. Mat. 5, 11, 12.

What I have written in this book to the churches of Christ called Quakers I did present to the ministry of the said people in the time of a general meeting at Rhode Island, desiring of them it might be read to the congregation at the said meeting, and so handed among them till it come to Wm. Penn and the rest of their ministry. But after the ministry had perused it, some of them told me that I knew they did look at water baptism useless after a person came to be baptised with the Spirit. To which I replied, Your argument is just contrary to the scripture; for said Peter, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptised which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” Acts 10, 47, 48. Another replied, saying, “Thou holds forth the light contrary to what we have done, both in our public testimonies and printed books.” To which I answered, “If you can shew me wherein I have held it forth contrary to the holy Scriptures, it shall be rectified:” But I heard no further reply to that. I then told them that if they would be pleased to publish it among themselves, I should be satisfied, and proceed no further with it, otherwise my purpose was to print it. Whereupon, some of them asked me whether I would be satisfied if they read it in their private meeting. I told them Yes; for I directed it to them and not to the world. Upon which they appointed me to come to the same place the next morning at seven of the clock for an answer; accordingly I did, where my book was returned to me again, some saying “It holds forth things contrary to what we have done, both in our public testimonies and printed books, and may make a division among us.” To which I answered, “If truth make a division among you, it is such a division as Christ came to make.” But they thus refusing to publish it among themselves, I have thought it my duty to put it to public view, believing there is yet a remnant among them which have not defiled their garments.

I have also added something more at the end of that epistle which I presented to them, to show the difference between the ministration of the moral law (written in the hearts of all the children of Adam) and of the ministration of the gospel of Jesus Christ (written on the hearts of God’s children by the spirit of the living God) the one being the light of condemnation, the other being the light of life, or the light of our justification, through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, and both proceeding from the self-same God.

And as to what I have written to the observers of the Seventh Day Sabbath, these may certify thee that after it pleased God, through his rich grace in Christ Jesus, to take away the guilt of my sins from my conscience and to send the spirit of his Son into my heart, whereby he did reveal unto me his love and his acceptance of me in Jesus Christ, this unspeakable mercy did greatly engage my heart to love God and diligently to search the Scriptures, that thereby I might know how to serve God acceptably, for then I soon became a seeker how to worship God, though more zealous of the tradition of my fathers till I saw them to be traditions and no scripture precepts. I thus, upon diligent search of the Scriptures, found that the First-day Sabbath was nowhere commanded by any law of God, and the Scriptures telling me where no law is there can be no transgression, and that it is but vain to worship God by men’s traditions, Mat. 15, 9, and also finding by Scripture that there was a commandment for the keeping of the seventh day, I then openly labored on the first day of the week, in faithfulness to God and my fellow creatures, and strictly kept the fourth commandment, which commanded labor on the first day of the week, and required rest on the seventh. But I continuing a diligent searcher of the holy Scriptures, and begging at the Throne of Grace for direction in the way of truth, it pleased God to open my understanding to understand the Scriptures and to see that the seventh day sabbath was but a sign (under the law) of a gospel rest that Christ gives the soul, and that the shadowing part of the law was nailed to the cross of Christ; I could then no longer observe the seventh day without defiling my conscience; for saith Christ, Mat. 10, 27: “What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light; and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.” I then wrote to those of my brethren that kept the seventh day sabbath, showing them how it was but a sign or shadow of a better thing that was to come by Jesus Christ, and since have writ this following Epistle to them, wherein is opened the covenant of the law and the covenant of grace, the first covenant being a figure of the second; which covenant, with all the rites and ceremonies of it, continued until the establishment of the new testament by the blood of Jesus Christ; which testament contains the substance of those things shadowed out in the first covenant; and though the shadowing part of the law was nailed to the cross of Christ, and so ceased, as they were signs and shadows, yet it is as easy for heaven and earth to pass as it is for one tittle (of what was shadowed out by the law) to escape of being fulfilled by Christ in the substance of it; for what God had before determined should be fulfilled by Christ was prophesied of by the law, as well as by the prophets, as is to be seen, Mat. 2, 13. But John the Baptist came so near to him that he pointed at him saying, Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

I have thought it my duty to put these things to public view, being sensible of the wiles of Satan, who is wont to work in the darkness of men, to mislead them to make idols of such things which God commanded to be observed as signs of instructions to his church as is to be seen, Numb. 21, 9, compared with II Kings 18, 4, and what it was a sign of is to be seen, John 3, 14, 15.

... But before he came into the world, those that were under the second ministration were led and taught by a shadowing law, and were under typical judges, kings and priests, who were types of Christ’s kingly, prophetical and priestly offices; but since his coming in the flesh, they have ceased, and He himself is their alone King, Priest and Prophet, to rule and teach them, in a more evangelical or gospel way; and this was prophesied of before his coming into the world, Deut. 18, 15, Isa. 7, 6, Psal. 110, 4. Thus was He prophesied of before his coming in the flesh, to wit in his prophetical, kingly and priestly offices; but He being now already come, we are to hear Him in all things, and to follow Him in all exemplary things, and He alone is to rule in his church, being their King, Priest and Prophet.

... And although we are of another kingdom, and therefore are not to be concerned in the kingdom we do not belong to, either to sit in judgment with them, or to fight and kill under their kingdom, yet, as being in their country and limits, rather than to offend them we have liberty from our King to pay them tribute for the carrying on the affairs of their kingdom and government, both by his doctrine and example, Rom. 13, 6, 7 etc., Mat. 17, 24 etc.... But although the children of God are free, being of another kingdom, yet they are not to use their liberty for a cloak of maliciousness against them, but as they are the servants of God, and proper subjects of his kingdom, they are to honour all men, and to fear God and to honour the king, and to make conscience, as Christ did, not to offend them, but rather to give them their demand for carrying on their affairs in their own kingdom, ...

Can it stand with Christianity, according to Christ’s doctrine and example since He came into the world, for his church and people to join in with the powers of this world to resist evil, by judging and condemning sinners, and to destroy men’s lives, by fighting against flesh and blood with carnal weapons; or to lord it over others by exercising authority over them, as the kings and judges of this world do?

No: for both his doctrine and example forbid his church all such things, as appeareth by these following Scriptures, ... And thus are we to be followers of Him, and not to take the place of a judge upon us, from the hands of the children of this world, and to follow them in their kingdom, to sit with them in judgment, to judge and condemn sinners, whom Christ did not come to judge, or to condemn, but to save. And also seeing He who was without sin hath not executed justice upon us who were sinners, but hath extended his grace and mercy to us, in acquitting and forgiving us, so ought we to be followers of Him, and not now become judges and condemners of sinners, seeing he hath not judged nor condemned us for our sins. And seeing he who was without sin did not cast a stone at the woman taken in adultery, who was a sinner, so likewise let us, who were once sinners, learn of him to be merciful unto sinners, as he hath been merciful unto us, who came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them....

... But Christ’s doctrine doth not give his disciples so much liberty as to defend themselves by the law of justice from the hands of earthly judges, Mat. 5, 38 etc. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’; but I say unto you that ye resist not evil, etc,” “And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also, etc.”... We are to love our enemies, and to bless them that curse us and to do good to them that hate us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us, Mat. 5, 44, and to do violence to no man, and to live peaceably with all men, as much as in us lies, by suffering ourselves to be defrauded, Rom. 12, 18. I Cor. 6, 7.

Thus we may see, by the doctrine and example of Christ, that it cannot stand with perfect Christianity to be either governor, judge, executioner or jury man, or to be active in the making any laws which may be useful in the body of the kingdoms of this world, who are only under the ministration of the moral law, and their weapons are carnal, with which weapons they fight against flesh and blood only, punishing both the righteous and the wicked, according to what is written, “And he was numbered with the transgressors” (by the judges of this world) Mark 15, 28.

... And this His kingdom and peaceable government was before prophesied of, and how he should put an end to wars, and reconcile sinners to his church, ...

... Then said Jesus unto him, “Put up again thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” Matt. 26, 52. “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Rev. 13, 10. Here He rebuketh the use of the sword, according to what was before prophesied of him, threatening them that use it to measure the same measure to them.... From hence it appears plainly that the very reason why Christ bid them provide swords was that He might fulfil those prophesies which prophesied of him beforehand; that He should rebuke the use of the sword when he should come, and cause them to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and that they should learn war no more. For when they told Him there were two swords, He said, “It is enough;” but when they came to make use of them, he rebuked the use of them, saying, “Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” So that it appears he did not bid them provide swords to kill and slay with them, but put an end to the use of them in his church....

We thus seeing that Christ hath rebuked the use of the sword in his church, and that they are to learn war no more, but are to beat their swords into useful tools, for necessary uses, it is an evil thing for a Christian to practice any gesture that tendeth to war, as watching, warding or training, or exercising any posture leading to war; for it is some degree of contempt to the doctrine of Christ, who hath taught us to learn war no more, but to live the life of faith and love, who hath promised us his protection and preservation from famine, pestilence and sword, when we love him and keep his commandments, as throughout the 91st psalm, Job 5, 19, 20. Isa. 26, 1, 2, 3, 4. Rev. 3, 10.

... But forasmuch as we have obtained mercy and grace by Jesus Christ, and are thereby reconciled to God, and made heirs of a better kingdom, and are but strangers, pilgrims and sojourners here, we are not to mix ourselves with the children of this world, by joining with them in their kingdom, to judge, or condemn, or torture any man for his sin, seeing we are under another ministration, having not been condemned by Christ for our sins; neither are we to join with them to kill or slay our fellow creatures, seeing Christ hath rebuked the use of the sword in the hands of his followers; and except we deny ourselves in all these things, and take up our cross and follow him, we cannot be his disciples....

... When God’s children were in a holy frame and agreed to fast and pray, they did it not with a mixt multitude in public assemblies, as hypocrites are wont to do; as appears Neh. 9, 1, 2. The children of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, in time of offering up their prayers unto God. Acts 1, 13, 14. And we nowhere read, throughout the whole Bible that God’s children ever prayed in a public assembly, with a mixt multitude, and in a customary way, as hypocrites are wont to do, as throughout the whole scripture doth appear. Rom. 8, 26.

... This have I written that people may not be misled, by thinking they worship God in forms and set times of prayer, while they are in a state of sin; and that they may consider the publican, upon his first prayer, accompanied with true repentance, went away justified rather than the other that was zealous in his often fasting and prayers....

In page 5th sayth he: “The apostle doth not oppose the keeping one day in a week holy to God.” To which I answer, It is not what the apostle doth not oppose, but what the apostle commands, I Pet. 1, 16, “Be ye holy for I am holy.” An unholy man cannot do one holy act, no more than a corrupt tree can bring forth good fruit: but I have no where read in the books of the New Testament that we are commanded to keep one day more holy than another....

... And the next place, I shall shew that the first commandment that both the angel of God and Christ himself gave forth to his apostles was to make the first day of the week (the day of his resurrection) a day of labor by travelling out of one province into another.... Thus it appears that had they believed them that was sent by the angel of God and by Christ himself they should have set out on their journey early in the morning for Galilee, which was in another province, and by all probability more than one day’s journey, as appears in the 2nd chapter of Luke, which shews that Christ’s parents went a day’s journey towards Galilee before they missed him.... So that it appears that Christ had no regard to the day, otherwise than to make it a day of labor ... through their unbelief they were disobedient to the message that Christ sent them and did not make it a day of labor by travelling, as they were required by the angel of God and by Christ himself; which journey according to history was above 40 miles and the message was sent them in haste, to set out upon this journey, upon the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection.

In page 6th he quotes Gen. 2, 2, 3, which speaks only of God’s resting from the works of creation, when all things were finished and “was very good” ... and this God’s Sabbath or rest from his works of creation had no evening or morning ascribed to it, because it was his eternal rest or Sabbath, all things being now finished. And it could be no Sabbath or rest to Adam, for he had done no work to rest from, for he was the finishing work, ... So that Adam in his first creation entered into God’s Sabbath and so continued, till he by sin brought labor upon himself ... and we have no account in Scripture of any Sabbath commanded or kept from Adam till Mose’s time, ... For when God delivered the two tables of the ten commandments, he gave Moses a particular account about the seventh-day sabbath, how it was a sign, as is seen Exod. 31, 12 etc. compared with the last verse.... And a sign is not the thing signified by it, any more than a shadow of a thing is the substance....

In page 19 he quotes ... “I was in spirit on the Lord’s day.”... that is, I was spiritualized on the Lord’s day of his revelation for that work he employed me in, but here is no account what day or days it was of the week or month, this God hath not revealed to us.... But for any to affect it to be on a first day of the week is presumption, seeing no such name in Scripture was imposed on the first day of the week in any other place of the Scripture....

In page 27, he quotes Acts 20, 7, “And upon the first day of the week” ... This text tells us the disciple’s coming together was to break bread; it does not say to celebrate a Sabbath, or give the day any pre-eminence above the five other working days ... the word breaking of bread is used in common eating, Acts 2, 46.—“breaking bread from house to house,”—Christ brake bread to two of his disciples and also when Christ fed 5000.... And in this place it is said they came together to break bread, and Paul was at that time tending a ship, as appears....

But as to the Lord’s Supper, it was always attended at supper time, ... It was first instituted by Christ at supper ... And Paul, the Gentile apostle, hath left it on record that he did deliver it to the Gentiles to be attended in the night, as appears I Cor. 11, 23.... The Gentile churches attended the time and season, tho’ they got into a disorderly way of partaking of it, yet they attended the season ... “For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper.”... So that we see this coming together to break bread, on the first day of the week, was not for preaching (but a feast of charity), for that was attended the night following (when the young man fell from the loft), nor for the Lord’s supper.

The following questions were presented as they are underwritten, but when I saw I could obtain no answer but persecution, I then presented them to a Superior Court in the colony New London, and from them to the next General Court in that Colony, and so to the Elders and Messengers of the churches of the Colony of Connecticut, requesting of them an answer, upon the consideration of the Confession of their own Faith and the good counsels there given, and printed in New London, in the year 1710. And here follows an account of some part of what I presented to them, taken out of the Confession of their own Faith.

In page 6. “First Counsel. That you be immovably and unchangeably agreed in the only sufficient and invariable rule of religion, which is the Holy Scriptures, the fixed canon, uncapable of addition and diminution. You ought to account nothing ancient that will not stand by this rule, nor anything new that will. Do not hold yourselves bound to unscriptural rites in religion, wherein custom itself doth many times misguide. Isai. 8, 20. To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

“Second Counsel. That you be determined by this rule in the whole of religion. That your faith be right and divine, that the Word of God must be the foundation of it and the authority of the Word the reason of it, etc. For an orthodox Christian to resolve his faith into education, instruction and the persuasion of others, is not an higher reason than a Papist, Mahometan or Pagan can produce for his religion.”

Page 7. “Believe, in all divine worship, it is not enough that this or that act of worship is not forbidden in the word of God; if it be not commanded, and you perform it, you may fear you will be found guilty and be exposed to divine displeasure. Nadab and Abihu paid dear for offering in divine worship that which the Lord commanded them not. It is an honour done unto Christ, when you account that only decent, orderly and convenient in his house which depends upon the institution and appointment of Himself, who is the only head and lawgiver of his church.”

Page 65. “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything contrary to his word, or not contained in it: so that to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring an implicit faith and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also. Acts 4, 19. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. Acts 5, 29. We ought to obey God rather than men. Jam. 4, 12. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: Who art thou that judgeth another? Col. 2, 22. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines commandments of men? Mat. 15, 9. Which all are to perish with the using, after the commandments and doctrines of men. John 4, 22. Ye worship ye know not what. Hos. 5, 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandment.”

These are the scriptures they quote for their proof, with many more. All these quotations, quoted out of the book of the Confession of their own Faith, with much more, was presented to the abovesaid Courts, Elders and Messengers of said churches, with the following questions, grounded upon the said Confession of their pretended Faith, but can obtain no answer but violence to compel us to rebel against it, as will appear by said questions as followeth.

To Richard Christophers Assistant, and from him to Gov. Saltonstall and Eliphalet Adams.

I request of you, as you profess yourselves to be Christians, and the Scripture to be your rule, to give me a direct answer to these scriptural questions, Rom. 4, 15. “For where no law is, there is no transgression.”

My question is, Hath God any law to forbid labor on the first day of the week? If he hath, quote chapter and verse for it, to convict us of our error, or be convicted that you will be found fighters against God, in striving to compel us to worship the works of your own hands, which would be idolatry in us.

And consider the age and antiquity of an idol doth not make the sin one whit the less, but the greater; for God’s patience and long suffering towards idolaters should lead them to repentance.

A second question I crave of you is, Whether the name “Sabbath” (which you impose upon the first day of the week in your law book) be a title that God by his word hath put upon it? If it be, pray quote the chapter and verse, where it is so named by God’s word; if not, judge yourselves.

A third question I crave your answer to is, Whether the name Lord’s Day (which you impose in your law book on the first day of the week) be a Scripture name peculiar to that day? And how you prove the revelations of Jesus Christ to John was upon the first day of the week?

And if you cannot answer the said questions by the holy Scriptures, then I request of you to read and to consider what is written, Psal. 94, 20, 21. “Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.” From the New London Prison, the 17th of the 9th month, 1719.

And here follows a copy of my request to Court Elders and Messengers, wrote under the above questions as it is here.

My request to you is, That you will be pleased to see that an answer to my questions may be returned, by you or your elders, as you will answer it before God, the judge of Heaven and earth, and that we may not be compelled by the Authority to offer to God in divine worship that which he hath not commanded, against our consciences, and contrary to the Confession of your own Faith; and if God hath commanded the first day of the week to be kept for a Sabbath, to quote to us the place in Scripture where it is so commanded, and send it to us: And if there be no command of God for it in the Holy Scriptures, and only your own law in your Law Book, and your minister’s doctrine for it, then I desire you to read and consider what is written, Mat. 15, 7th, 8th and 9th verses, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

New London, the 7th of the third month, 1721. From him that wishes you well, and desires to see your salvation and not your destruction.

But I could obtain no answer from them; “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.” John 3, 20.

And now my request to you, the said Courts, Elders and Messengers, is, in the presence and view of the world, to shew us chapter and verse, or verses, where God’s command is which commands the keeping the first day of the week for a Sabbath, by which you are not in the same danger Nadab and Abihu was, that we may escape with you; for I can find no such commandment throughout the whole Bible: For you, in the Confession of your Faith, set before us the great danger we are in, if we offer to God that in divine worship which he hath not commanded; not only the loss of our lives, as Nadab and Abihu did theirs, but eternal damnation also; as appears in your “Confessions of Faith,” Page 7, and in your second Counsel (before quoted).

Upon this consideration, I request this favor of you, so that we may venture in with you in keeping of it, by a commandment from God, if you know of any, for this will be more for your honour than to compel us against our own consciences (and your own counsels) by your own law, accompanied with your whips, stocks, fines and imprisonments; which hitherto you have been using to compel us to offer in divine worship that which God hath not commanded; and besides this, we are ashamed (I do not say you) to pretend to be “orthodox Christians” and “to resolve our faith into education, instruction, and the persuasion of others,” seeing you say in your “Confession,” page 6, that “this is no higher reason than a Papist, Mahometan or pagan can produce for his religion;” for we would not be like such spoken of in Zeph. 3, 5, “The unjust knoweth no shame.”

Thus it appears nakedly before your eyes, and to your consciences, that either your Counsels, in the Confession of your Faith, is very erroneous, or else your first day Sabbath, if it have no command of God for it, which I can find nowhere throughout the whole Bible—and that which can be found nowhere may well be concluded not to be at all. And the said Counsels in the Confession of your Faith is so substantially grounded on the holy Scriptures that I think it most safe to conclude that it is your Sabbath that is erroneous and idolatry (except you have a commandment of God for it) by the Confession of your own Faith.

I having been treating upon your Sabbath, the foundation almost of all your worship, which is the works of your own hands, by your own Confession, except you can find a commandment of God for it....

I desire that these following things may be well considered.

First, when God delivered the two tables of stone into the hands of Moses, he gave him a particular account about the Sabbath how it was a sign, as is to be seen Exod. 31, beginning at verse 12 to the end of the chapter, yea, it was a covenanted sign to that people, as is to be seen, verse 17. Ezek. 20, 12, 20.

Secondly, Moses testifieth to Israel that it was commanded to be kept upon the account of that deliverance out of Egypt, as is to be seen Deut. 5, comparing the 12, 13 and 14 verses with the 15th verse. So that as their deliverance was from a temporal bondage, so the sign of it was a temporal rest; and the sign was for a covenant between God and them, of his safe protecting them from the oppression of their enemies, in that inheritance which he gave them while they kept his laws.

Thirdly, Christ testifieth that the priests profaned the Sabbath in the temple and yet were blameless, Mat. 12, 5, compared with Numb. 28, 9, 10, so that we may well conclude those sacrifices by which they profaned the Sabbath, though they were but signs in themselves, yet the Sabbath which was of less value was to give place that the greater might not be omitted.

Fourthly; The man that bore a burden on the Sabbath day, to wit, his bed, John 5, 10, profaned it in so doing, and was as blameless as the priests; for that sign under the law was not the Sabbath, any more than that circumcision commanded to Abraham was the circumcision, and therefore, saith the apostle, That is not circumcision that is outward in the flesh, Rom. 4, 12. Thus we see he calls it the sign of circumcision, though the scriptures did no where call it a sign, but called it circumcision; but the 7th day Sabbath God declared to be a sign, yea, a covenanted sign with his people, as circumcision was, as is to be seen, by comparing these places of scripture together, Exod. 31, 13, 16, 17. Gen. 17, 10, 13 and 14.

Fifthly, Seeing that God testifieth that the weekly 7th day Sabbath is a sign, and gave no such plain demonstration of any other of the Sabbaths under the law, we have good and better reason to judge that Paul’s words, Col. 2, 16, 17 (Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of Christ) comprehends the 7th day Sabbath in a special manner, seeing it agrees with God’s testimony to Israel, that it was a sign to them, and a sign is not the substance; for a shadow is but the sign of the substance.

And lastly, Seeing that God testifieth to Israel that the 7th day Sabbath was a sign, so it was no more the Sabbath than the seven stars which John saw in the right hand of Christ were the angels of the seven churches, nor no more the Sabbath than the seven golden candlesticks were the seven churches, nor no more the Sabbath than those fat kine that Pharaoh saw were the seven plentiful years; which sort of creature (we afterwards read) they made an image of and worshipped; nor no more the Sabbath than the sign of circumcision was the circumcision; nor no more the Sabbath (under the first covenant) than the wine that Christ gave his disciples to drink was the blood of the New Testament or covenant; nor no more the Sabbath (under the first testament) than the bread that Christ gave to his disciples was his body under the second or new covenant.

Thus we see that signs (in the Scripture) bear the complete name of the substance or thing they signify; so the 7th day Sabbath was a sign under the first covenant, and so continued till the establishment of the second, and then both the covenant and signs under it ceased; for they were signs of instruction to the church, that they might impose their faith on the things they signified, which were to be fulfilled by Christ, who was the substance of them all; and so at his coming they were all nailed to his cross, and so ceased. Eph. 2, 15, 16. Col. 2, 14. And so likewise the signs that are now in being (under the new covenant) are to continue till Christ’s coming in his manhood, I Cor. 11, 26, and then they will cease also.

Whereas there is a printed law in her Majesty’s Colony of Connecticut, entitled only “Heriticks,” in the preface to it they say “To prevent the danger persons are in of being poisoned in their judgments and principles by hereticks,” etc.

Which said law the queen by advice of her council hath condemned, repealed and declared it void and of none effect, it being contrary to their charter. And indeed there is a good hand of God in the Queen’s act, for I know of no sect worse poisoned in their judgments and principles by gross heresy than the Church of New England; and it is very evident that hereticks have ever persecuted the true church under abusive titles, as deceivers, hereticks, Quakers, and the like abusive titles, which they themselves are guilty of; for erroneous persons, principles and practices are condemned by the scriptures of truth; so that they have no other way to cloak themselves, under their delusion and heresy, but by casting such like odious titles on the children of God, and so persecute them and burn their books; for Satan’s design in making use of these deluded persons, thus to act, is to suppress truth under pretense of heresy; as for instance I shall begin with the master of the house, whom they called Beelzebub, the prince of devils, Mat. 12, 24. He went by the name of “deceiver,” Mat. 27, 63. Paul by the name of heretick, Acts 24, 14. Luther’s books were burnt under pretense utterly to suppress heresy; the worthy martyrs in Queen Martyr Mary’s time suffered death under the name of hereticks; and those worthy martyrs in Boston in New England under the name of Quakers and hereticks; and my books by this law now repealed have been condemned and burnt, under pretense of heresy, though I have made fair proffers at their General Court to reward any person well for their time and pains that would endeavor to show me any one error in them, but none have yet publickly appeared.

He (John Rogers) spoke very much of his satisfaction and unity with George Fox, John Stubbs, John Burnyeat and William Edmundson as the Lord’s servants, with sundry others of the first visitors of that country, that he knew them to be sent of God, and that they had carried the reformation further than any of the Protestants ever did before them, since the general apostacy from the purity both of faith and doctrine; first the church of England they did nothing in the end but made an English translation of the Latin service used before, the Presbyterians they dissented and the Independants, but came not to the root of the matter; the Baptists dissented from the other three, but went not through. Upon which, though I could not wholly agree with him in his assertions, I queried if he thought that all these several steps of the English church from Popery, the Presbyterians and Independants from the English church, and the Baptists from all three of them, had not something of good in them, viz. I mean whether the first concerned in dissenting from Popery, though they afterwards rested too much in the form of worship in the Episcopal way, had not the aid of Christ’s spirit to assist them in their dissent? And so for all the rest. This he did readily grant to be a great truth; and so allowing that the first reformers actuated by divine light, and being faithful to what was made known to them, had their reward; and their successors sat down in that form their predecessors had left them in, but did not regard that Power and Life by which they were actuated, and so became zealots for that form, but opposed the Power. “And this,” said he, “is the true cause of the several steps of dissent one from another; and the reason why there is so little Christian love, and so much bitterness and envy one against another, is their sitting down contented, each in their own form without the Power, so that they are all in one and the same spirit, acting their part in the several forms of worship in their own wills and time, not only opposing the Spirit of Truth, but making it the object of their scorn and those who adhere to it the subject of their reproach, contempt and envy; and this is the foundation of persecution” said he....

... Here I think he (Backus) does the government no honor by informing the world that they have made laws to debar such as differ from them in matters of religion the liberty of the king’s highway to pass to their own meetings, since our lord the king hath granted equal liberty of conscience to all dissenters to hold their meetings and serve God according to their consciences....

In his 13th page he gives a record (of his own making) relating to John Bolles, which record declares that J. Bolles acknowledged that he came from New London, and was going to Lebanon, and that he knew it was contrary to our law, and that they did it in defiance of the law.

To which I answer, “That God’s three children were cast into the fiery furnace for declaring their defiance to the king’s law, which was made to force men’s consciences in matters of religion; and all the prophets and apostles suffered for opposing those laws which were set up to force people’s consciences in matters of worshipping God; And all the martyrs which have suffered the flames and other tortures ever since, it has been for manifesting their defiance to such laws as have been set up by the worldly government to uphold false worship, or to restrain them from worshipping God according to their consciences. Now for as much as God has justified all those sufferers above-mentioned, for their bold defiance of such laws as were set up by man to prevent people serving God according to their consciences, well may we have confidence that God will justify us for the same thing. We have also further to plead in our own justification in this matter than those sufferers above-mentioned had, inasmuch as our lord the king has granted us the same liberty to meet together and worship God according to our consciences as he has given to our persecutors: So that in the consideration of what is here expressed, I think J. Bolles and his brethren are highly commendable for their faithfulness to God, in manifesting their defiance against such laws as would restrain them from worshipping God according to their consciences.

... In his 14th chapter, he charges the sufferers to be most daring and malicious offenders, utterly disregarding those Scriptures, Rom. 13, Tit. 3, I Pet. 2, etc.

In the first place I shall fully grant from those Scriptures, and many more that might be mentioned, that the worldly government is set up of God, and are God’s ministers to act in worldly matters between man and man, and that the law that God hath put into their hands is good, if they use it lawfully;... according to what is written, I Tim. 1, 8, 9, 10. And while the worldly government act within their commission, God is with them and has put such carnal weapons in their hands as is sufficient to rule all carnal persons, which are stocks, fines, prisons, whip and gallows, which above-named weapons are sufficient to conquer and subdue all carnal and guilty persons, so that rulers are a terror to evil-doers.

And forasmuch as we acknowledge the worldly government to be set up by God, we have always paid all public demands for upholding the same; as town rates, county-rates and all other demands, excepting such as are for the upholding hireling ministers and false teachers which God has called us to testify against. Now when the worldly rulers take upon themselves to make laws relating to God’s worship, and thereby force men’s consciences, and so turn their sword against God’s children, they then act beyond their commission and out of their jurisdiction; and are so far from being God’s ministers that they are fighters against God and his church; and God is so far from making them a terror to his church that he gives his church and people faith and boldness to withstand them to their faces....

... Here I think he (Backus) does the government no honor by informing the world that they have made laws to debar such as differ from them in matters of religion the liberty of the king’s highway to pass to their own meetings, since our lord the king hath granted equal liberty of conscience to all dissenters to hold their meetings and serve God according to their consciences.

... A travelling ministry are sent from town to town and from city to city, and from country to country, and over sea, so that they are not only taken from their own employment, but are also sent upon charges; their state and condition is like a man that is prest a soldier and sent away from his own living on charges and therefore maintained at the king’s charge. And hath not this man power to forbear work? though he tarry some days at a place, must he therefore maintain himself by his own labor? is not this the very state of a travelling ministry of the gospel?...

... I have thus proved by Scripture that a traveling ministry of the Gospel hath power to forbear work. And secondly that the churches ought to relieve them: And thirdly have shewed their differing state from settled elders.

... In the second place, I shall now prove by Scripture that settled elders are commanded to work with their hands and thereby to support the weak; by being givers rather than receivers.—We find that the apostle sends for the elders of the church.—He saith to them, I have coveted no man’s silver or gold, or apparel; ye yourselves know that these hands of mine have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me; I have showed you all things, how that so laboring, ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive....

... And 3rdly Whereas Christ, upon sending them forth to preach the gospel, forbids them making any provision for their journey, requiring them to expect their meat and reward from his hands....

... From hence we may see by Scripture that Christ’s ministers, whom he calls and sends to preach the Gospel, are so well provided for by Him that they have no need to be hired by the children of the world; for in so doing they would reproach their Lord and Master and shew themselves not only faithless, but wickedly covetous, in practising contrary to this doctrine of Christ, and to come under the condemnation of this great sin so much condemned in Scripture, “The priests whereof teach for hire, and the prophets whereof divine for money, yet they will lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord among us; none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountains of the house as the high places of the forest ... yea they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter.”... Christ calls them hirelings and ravening wolves.

And though the nameless authors of the said Pamphlet are pleased to call such (as join with Christ and his shepherds, to testify against these hirelings) by the name of wolves, yet these hirelings, or at least their shearers, the collectors, have always taken them for sheep, especially about shearing time.... Now we that join with Christ and the true shepherds to testify against these hirelings, we come under the blessing of Christ ... Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you; yea this must we suffer all the time that these hireling prophets are under this curse of Christ. Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

... In page 8, they assert ... “That he be given to hospitality” and say they, “how is it possible for him to be so, if you be given to covetousness, and given to dishonesty and cheat him of his maintainance?”

To which I answer If it be the people’s gift, its their hospitality and not the ministers: the churl may be liberal, if other men’s purses make him so. But the ministers of the Gospel are given to hospitality of that which their own hands have ministered to them, and are obedient to their Master’s words, who hath said unto them, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

... And it is a shame for you to tell of the galling of your hands with inferior labor for the getting of bread; it is your duty to do so, and if the people be the cause, as you say, of your laboring with your hands, they are worthy of praise in causing you to do your duty, and you ought to have done it without their causing you to do it, and therefore you proclaim your shame. For you ought to have taken the holy prophets, and Christ and his apostles for your example, to have labored with your hands, and not the false prophets and false teachers, who sought to live upon the people,... Christ shews that such stewards as those could not dig for their living, and to beg they were ashamed....

And the true prophets, and Christ with his apostles have set us better example.... Here you may see that Elijah was plowing ... here Elisha went to Jordan with the sons of the prophets and cut down wood.... Amos was a husbandman and a gatherer of wild figs.... Christ was a carpenter.... Paul was a tayler or tent-maker and worked at it tho’ he were a travelling minister of the gospel,—and so did the rest of the apostles, as is to be seen.... These examples, with that apostolical command (to the elders of the church) Acts 20, 34, 35, ought to be attended by Christ’s ministers....