Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A93429
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A short manifestation of the main end of outward government.
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Smith, William, d. 1673.
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1664
(1664)
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Wing S4327; ESTC R229117
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4,719
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1
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Meetings be suppressed and we afflicted and punished and such as meet to exercise vanity and prophaness escape and go free if you govern not over such things what do you govern over Truth governs it self and all that live in it are well governed by it therefore govern over the Evil and let not it govern over you for thereby you are drawn to delight in it and so cannot smite it but smite the Righteous that are well-governed in the Power and Wisdom of God O it is a sad thing that such as represent the Nation should act against the Body of their Representation and such as are in power in the Country should put such Acts in execution and thereby endeavour to banish out of the Nation their own Neighbours and so leave Wives Widows and Children Fatherless and Families destitute of outward succour Surely God never ordained you to do such things neither doth God or good men approve you in it and you are happy that have or do avoid the evil of it O return to your places all you that are out of them that you may be found doing such things as are well-pleasing unto God and let your care be to answer the End of your places in things that you understand that the Nation may be kept in peace by your means and do not run things into distraction and confusion under pretence of Reformation and Regulation Now look over your proceedings according to your own Law Can you proceed to Judgment in any offence criminal or in any case of difference without some Evidence to make proof unto you of the matter in question and is not every Witness engaged to speak the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth and are not all Juries engaged to try all Causes according to their Evidence Now consider whether this can be done in a Case of Conscience being that no Evidence can speak from a true knowledge or understanding of the matter and though the Act be brought forth in such terms as something may be taken notice of as an offence that is to say Seditâ—ous Conventicles but no Evidence can prove a Peaceable Meeting to be a Seditious Conventicle if they speak the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth and so a Peaceable Meeting to worship God in tenderness of Conscience is not an offence which the Act takes notice of neither is it transgression against it for no Evidence can prove such a Meeting to be a Seditious Conventicle and the matter not being proved no Jury is in a capacity to find it nor Judge to condemn it O therefore consider and be serious in your places who are concerned in Authority this day for the main End of Outward Government is to suppress evil and to be a terror to evil-doers and a praise to them that do well Now if you say We look upon you not to do well in that you will not be conformable with us unto the Worship which we observe but meet together contrary to our discipline and in that sense we do suppress you as evil-doers Well this is your perswasion but God hath otherwise perswaded us and if it should be an evil in us in this case yet it is not for you to condemn but to leave it unto God who is a righteous Judge of the Conscience but we are fully perswaded in the Lord that our not-conforming with you and also our Meetings in that way wherein we worship God is according to his mind for he hath opened our understandings by his Light in which we see that your Worship is not grounded upon a true foundation and he hath called us to Separation and though separated from your way yet we truly worship God in his living Spirit which is his own way and he hath called us so to do and in obeying the Lord we do well and not evil and therefore it is not what you may be perswaded concerning us in this case that makes us Evil-doers in the sight of God neither are you to force us into your perswasion or from our own but to suppress every manifest Evil as before is mentioned and not to make a thing evil from a supposition according to your own perswasions and then to make a Law against it to suppress it this is besides your places and doth not belong unto you therefore if you will do that which properly belongs to your places cut down the sin that abounds this day before your own eyes and then you will answer the End of the Law in Truth for we desire that all in Power may be kept out of this great Evil of Persecution for Conscience-sake or being in it may be plucked forth through Information to their understandings which is the main End why we write after this manner for if it was not in pitty unto such as are herein concerned we could be silent and in patience lie down knowing the determination of God concerning our Cause And as for such whose Resolutions are to carry it on to the height against us unto such I say Let not Enmity oversway Justice and Equity and we are ready to make our Defence but if in Enmity you will prosecute contrary to Justice and Equity then I say unto you in the Word of the Lord God That when you have filled up your measures the dregs of your own Cup you must drink yea and drink them off and none shall pitty you for the Lord God is on our side and his fresh-Springs are our Consolation and from his Presence you cannot banish us though you may be permitted to force some out of their Native Land yet when you have done they will be at home with the Lord and in the Land of the Living possess unspeakable Joy therefore let all your thoughts cease concerning us for we are of good courage in our Innocent Cause and knowing that in this matter we have not wronged any man we can boldly appeal to the Witness of God in all men for Justice and Equity and with him alone we leave our Cause who is our Helper and Deliverer in whom we trust the Lord God of Heaven and Earth the Righteous Judge of all the Earth whose living Spirit is our weapon and his Salvation our walls and bulwarks W. S. The beginning of the 7th month 1664.