Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
book_n new_a scripture_n testament_n 8,305 5 8.0705 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A40127 Canons and institutions drawn up and agreed upon by the General Assembly or Meeting of the heads of the Quakers from all parts of the kingdom at their New-Theatre in Grace-church-street in or about January 1668/9 ; George Fox being their president. Society of Friends.; Fox, George, 1624-1691. 1669 (1669) Wing F1755; ESTC R36474 6,988 29

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

CANONS AND JNSTITUTIONS Drawn up and Agreed upon By the General Assembly or Meeting of the Heads of the QVAKERS From all Parts of the Kingdom at their New-Theatre in Grace-church-street in or about January 1668 9. George Fox being their President London Printed Anno Dom. 1669. An Introduction THere hath been some time spent in the Inspection of this Quakers Synod And although all the Particulars of that Days Procedure cannot be obtained yet so many of them as will render that Party or Sect of men for ever Infamous and Ridiculous with all Intelligent and Observant men is with great difficulty obt●●ned They had proceeded unto many other Insolencies besides what they have laid down in these their Canons and Institutions in the stating of their Government had not some of them feared the Magistratical Justice However the rest shewed their forwardness thereunto by the Proposals were made to introduce either A New Scripture into the world or The Old one with many great Additions this was urged once and again from a twofold Topick the first was That many places in the Old Testament did refer to several Books which as yet were never extant and the Supplement to the New was insisted upon by others who said there was amongst others An Epistle to the Church of Laodicea to be ●dded to the Canon and put into the Revelations But it seems these things proved not so ripe as they purposed and whether they were rejected or left for another time there must be new information of not knowing as yet if they intend to subjoyn the said Epistle to the Church of Laodicea by way of Appendix or not Several Penances were done that Day and performed after a very carnal way however stiled by them The Condemnation and Judgment of the Spirit The Faults were various Some for being too busie with Women some for disorder in their Meetings as keeping Hats on when others had them off or when their Friends prayed c. and others for want of zeal Some credibly report that before many of them can make their peace with their Brethren they were forced to bow down themselves and by a willing subjection put their heads between their President 's for the time being George Fox his Legs who was President at that Days Solemnity and whose Name is inserted as Primate and Metropolitan of the rest The business of Civil Matters took up a considerable part of their said Days Work and I cannot learn that they went further than the Widows Bed and the Dead mans grave How much the Prerogative Court would take cognizance of that affair concerning Wills Testaments and Legacies is best known to themselves But that of Marriage in the way and method by them instituted and explained will be of very great concernment to all Widows Maids and single persons of the Female sex who have not wholly cast off that Modesty Shamefac'dness and Bashfulness which hath ever been esteemed as their Ornament Virtue and Grace whilest they must have a Jury of Witnesses to their first Conjunction which their Third Canon makes the Ratio Formalis of Marriage to look to themselves and to consider whether it would more defile the hands of the married persons that the Minister joyns in holy Wedlock than the eyes of these 12 Spectators at their first doing together as they call it would It may now be seasonably considered how much these sort of men have fallen from their first Principles Mode and VVay by resolving all things thus formally when at first their Religion seemed a Chaos and Darkness covered the face of their Deep and the very Ratio Formalis of their Religion was to cry down Forms which later practise of theirs if it succeed no better than it hath yet will undoubtedly break them and their Forms also many of their own Party falling off by reason of it That of Doctor Smith the Physician who was convened before one of their Private Courts hath given his eminent dislike of their way and proceedings by leaving behind him Ten sheets of paper fill'd with the many Cheats Frauds and Insolencies of his quondam Brethren the Quakers of whom he had been for fourteen years by which he had the most considerable opportunities to look into the Arcanaes and Secrets of their Mystery of Iniquity And although Fourty pound was proposed to him in whose hands the Manuscript lay by some of their Party that the Book might never see the light yet 't is hoped it will be printed and be as a standing Testimony against them when they and their Institutions shall evanish and come to nothing Canons and Institutions Agreed upon at a General Meeting OF THE QVAKERS 1669. Friends fellowship must be in the spirit and all Friends must know one another in the Spirit and power of God I. IN all the Meetings of the County Two or Three being gathered from them to go to the General Meeting for to give notice one to another if there be any that walk not in the truth and have bin convinced and go from Truth and so dishonoreth God that some may be Ordered from the Meeting to go to exhort such and bring into the next General Meeting what they say II. If any that profess the Truth that follow Pleasure Drunkenness Gaming or is not faithful in their Callings Dealings nor honest nor just but runneth into Debt and so bringeth a scandal upon the Truth Friends may give notice at the next General Meeting if there be any such and some may be ordered to go and exhort them to bring in their Answers at the next General Meeting III. And if any go disorderly together in Marriage contrary to the practise of the Holy men of God and Assembly of the Rightous in all ages who declared it in the Assemblies of the Rightous when they took one another all things being clear and they both being free from any other And when they do together and take one another let there not be less than a dozen friends and Relations present according to your former order having first acquainted the Mens Meeting and they have clearness and unitic with them And that it may be recorded in a Book according to Word and Commandment of the Lord And if any walk contrary to the Truth therin let some be ordered to speak to them and give notice thereof to the next General Meeting IV. And all that be Widdows which have children and do intend to Marry let Querie be made what she hath done for her Children if there be no Will made then let such part of her late Husbands Estate be set out for her children as is equal according to truth and what they can do afterwards let them do also and where there is a Will made let those Legacies and Portions be improved and secured before Marriage for the Children of the Deceased with what more they can do for them and then when these things are done let them be recorded in a Book at the next