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A HISTORY OF NEW ENGLAND BAPTISTS

By Isaac Backus

CHAPTER 32.

As long as the fear of foreign dangers prevailed, our Congress was wonderfully obeyed; but as that fear abated, the love of the honors, riches and pleasures of this world weakened their authority, until they could not govern this great country. For while some States made laws to regulate trade, and to guard against foreign encroachments, other States took advantage to enrich themselves. These things were very distressing in these northern parts, while the people to the southward were not benefited thereby. For Virginia had long received their religious teachers from Europe, as well as many civil merchants; and Baptist ministers had often been imprisoned for preaching the gospel without license from Episcopalians, until the war put a stop to it. And after the war they tried hard to revive that power again. But the Baptists and others prevailed, in the beginning of 1786, to have a law made, which says: -

That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.

Yet their houses for worship, and their large tracts of ministerial lands, were still held by Episcopalians; and the frequent addresses of the Baptists to their legislature, to have those lands sold for public uses, or that they and their houses for worship might be free for all such ministers as the people chose, were disregarded. So hard is it for men to give up any worldly advantage which they have obtained under the mask of religion. The beast had feet like a bear. Revelation 13:2. And no bear ever grasped harder to hold his prey, than men now do to hold the power and gain which religious pretences have given them. Yet, by a motion from Virginia, the Congress recommended it to all these States, to elect delegates to meet at Philadelphia, in order to form a better plan of government than they then enjoyed. Accordingly twelve States met there by delegation, and labored upon it for about four months, until they finished a new constitution of government on September 17, 1787, and sent it out to all these States, and some of them adopted it soon, while others did not receive it in two years. And if men find it to be so hard a matter to agree about the affairs of time, why should they pretend to force all to unite in the great concerns of eternity? If they differ so much about perishing things which are visible, how can they unite in the service of the invisible Jehovah, who is beloved by his children, and is hated by the world? For every one that doeth evil, hateth the light; and Jesus says, I am the light of the world; but they hated me without a cause. John 3:20; 8:12; 15:25. And though this hatred hath been covered, in every age, under the name of religion or government, yet the feast of the gospel, in the church of Christ, will destroy the face of the overing cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. Isaiah 25:6, 7. The Christian nations have laid bands upon children, before they could choose for themselves, and have forced them to support the national worship all their days. But God says to his people, Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought, and ye shall be redeemed without money. ... Thy God reigneth. Isaiah 52:2, 3, 7. This is the gospel of peace. Romans 10:15. And as surely as he reigneth above, no men below can have any right to make laws to bind any in religious affairs. But how hardly are men brought to give up this power over the consciences of others! For on January 9, 1788, a convention of delegates from all parts of the Massachusetts met at Boston, and debated long upon the new constitution of government which was formed in Philadelphia, until they, with great difficulty, adopted it on February 6, by a majority of nineteen votes, there being a hundred and eighty-seven against a hundred and sixty-eight.

One of the greatest objections that was made against it, was, that no religious test was required therein, of any of the officers of government. But after much had been said upon it, a Congregational minister arose and said: -

The great object of religion being God supreme, and the seat of religion in man being the heart or conscience, that is, the reason God has given us, employed on our moral actions, in their most important consequences, as related to the tribunal of God, hence I infer, that God alone is the God of the conscience, and consequently, attempts to erect human tribunals for the consciences of men, are impious encroachments upon the prerogatives of God.

But as this did not silence their objections on that head, a Baptist minister arose five days after, and said: -

Nothing is more evident, both in reason, and in the Holy Scriptures, than that religion is ever a matter between God and individuals; and therefore no man or men can impose any religious test, without invading the essential prerogatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ministers first assumed this power under the Christian name; and then Constantine approved of the practice, when he adopted the profession of Christianity as an engine of State policy. And let the history of all nations be searched, from that day to this, and it will appear that the imposing of religious tests hath been the greatest engine of tyranny in the world. ... The covenant of circumcision gave the seed of Abraham a right to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, and to take their houses, vineyards, and all their estates as their own; and also to buy and hold others as servants. And as Christian privileges are much greater than those of the Hebrews were, many have imagined that they had a right to seize upon the lands of the heathen, and to destroy or enslave them as far as they could extend their power. And from thence the mystery of iniquity carried many into the practice of making merchandise of slaves and souls of men.

But this was not suffered to be printed in the same paper in Boston, in which the speech of the Congregational minister was printed. Though the wisdom which is from above, is without partiality and without hypocrisy.