If he cannot command me in that circumstance of time to worship God, this or that day, can he command me to the worship itself?
A threefold guilt lying upon civil powers commanding the subject’s soul in worship.
Peace. Methinks I discern a threefold guilt to lie upon such civil powers as impose upon and enforce the conscience, though not unto the ministration and participation of the seals,[208] yet either to depart from that worship which it is persuaded of, or to any exercise or worship which it hath not faith in.
First. Of an appearance of that Arminian, popish doctrine of free-will, as if it lay in their own power and ability to believe upon the magistrate’s command, since it is confessed that what is submitted to by any without faith it is sin, be it never so true and holy, Rom. xiv. 23.
Secondly. Since God only openeth the heart and worketh the will, Phil. ii. [13,] it seems to be a high presumption to suppose, that together with a command restraining from or constraining to worship, that God is also to be forced or commanded to give faith, to open the heart, to incline the will, &c.
Thirdly. A guilt of the hypocrisy of their subjects and people, in forcing them to act and practise in matters of religion and worship against the doubts and checks of their consciences, causing their bodies to worship when their souls are far off, to draw near with their lips, their hearts being far off, &c.
Persons may with less sin be forced to marry whom they cannot love, than to worship where they cannot believe.
With less sin ten thousand-fold may a natural father force his daughter, or the father of the commonweal force all the maidens in a country to the marriage-beds of such and such men whom they cannot love, than the souls of these and other subjects to such worship or ministry, which is either a true or false bed, Cant. i. 16.
Truth. Sweet Peace, your conclusions are undeniable, and oh! that they might sink deep into those noble and honourable bosoms it so deeply concerns! But proceed.