And that
in regard these are actions, as they express a proper and explicit
owning of the lawfulness of that authority, which they immediately
respect, so they are such as cannot be obtained without the actual
consent of the party performing, and must therefore imply a deliberate
approbation of foresaid iniquitous authority.
Further, they testify against a direct and active, free and voluntary
paying of tribute and other dues, unto such, and that for conscience
sake, as unto the ordinance of God, according to his precept; and
particularly, when these dues are required as a tessera of loyalty to
such; or when required, as an evidence of a person's active contributing
to the accomplishment of some wicked action, expressly declared to be
the immediate end of the imposition. Thus the case was in the time of
persecution, when the declared end of the additional cess, was the
immediate suppression of the pure preaching of the gospel in the fields.
As also, not only against professed witnesses for reformation
principles, their prosecuting of their witnessing brethren at law before
the courts of anti-scriptural, unqualified judges; but generally,
against all law processes, in a way of direct counteracting any part of
reformation attainments, or express homologating the authority of an
unlawful judge.
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