Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	according_a	law_n	reason_n	1,159	5	5.1539	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78417	A Caveat to those that shall resolve, whether right or wrong, to destroy J.L.		1653 (1653)	Wing C1617; Thomason E705_21; ESTC R207112	4,782	8

age produceth not the like he is never well but when fishing in troubled waters he is a busie body medling with other mens matters picking holes where he can finde them and it is pitty but that he should suffer Answer I said before that I shall not side with J. L. in any error all men have their failings and perhaps he may have some too but what then shall he be cut off and destroyed wright or wrong God forbid what was the law made for was it not to punish offenders when they broke the law Doth not the law prescribe punishments for the offence If J. L. hath offendded the Law let him be tryed by the Law and not by Arbitrary Judgment Since we profess our selves to be Christians let us but look on other men what they have done in the like causes let us but observe the words of Nicodemus in John 7.51 doth our Law judge any man before it hear him and know what he hath done By which words of his one may soon conclude that no man was put to death by their law before the party accused was produced and his fact made known and tryed according to their law do not we pretend to be men that have had more of the saving light of the Gospel then ever they had and to profess the true Christian Religion in power and efficacy And shall they forbear to destroy a man till he is condemned by the Law And shall we condemn a man without law And if by law it is a question whether upon tryal it will hold to be a true law or whethe-that law was grounded in any reason equity or conscir ence but onely the arbitrary wills and pleasures of the makers thereof and if it be so found that that Law by which he stands liable appear to be grounded on nothing else but arbitrary will and of set malice to destroy him one way or other What assurance hath any man of his life or estate What benefit have we of our Laws Although that law be made against him out of malice and if he be insnared and endangered by reason thereof although he might have lost his life anothe way by continuing in his banishment and so escaped the danger of this Law why shall he now upon his return desiring to live peaceably in his own Country and to inhabit with his wife and children shall he now die doth he not declare with Paul that if he hath done any thing worthy of death he refuseth not to die and to lay down his life in satisfaction of such Law he transgressed Is it not more reason he should be spared alive being of necessity driven to do what he hath done in returning into his own native Country Had he not Samaritans for his example who said if they went into the Host of the Assirians they could but die Was it not his case he could but die in his banishment as no doubt but his death was intended as himself declares And he knew he could but die if he did return by reason of that Act made against him Now he had more reason for his returning home then his abiding there What might induce his stay there was it perpetual fear of death or want of those things fitting for his being and lively hood or the deprivement of his friends Might not another in his case be induced rather to do as he hath done then otherwise considering that he hoped he should find mercy at the hands of those in power and that they would put on bowels of compassion to consider his condition And was not this hope furthered upon the consideration that those that made that Act were pluckt up by the root as useless instruments corrupt ones rather And would he or any one else think that those that plucked them up for their corruption will be so corrupt themselves as to put him to death by their corrupt Laws And to kill a man when he comes and seeks for mercy Is it otherwise then to kill a man when he is down What Example can any man produce to put him to death in this kind Is Davids sparing the life of Saul twice when he had an opportunity to flay him and had or might pretend reason so to do becaus Saul sought his life which I could never hear that John Lilburn was so eager after the bloud of any of his persecutors May that be any example to take away his life or shew him mercy I leave them to judge Or whether David having reason to put Absalom to death for murthering of his brother Ammon and by reason ther●f ●xiled himself shewing mercy to Absalom in forgiving his offence and calling him from exile whether or no that be not a good example to shew mercy to John Lilburn in his condition whose case as under favour I suppose is not so criminal Wherefore I shall once more make known my desire That Arbitrary Judgement may not take place but that Justice and righteous Judgement might be executed preferring mercy before cruelty And this I believe That if they extend any mercy to Iohn Lilburn not only he but many others will return them thanks therefore and ever remain sensible thereof but if they shall absolutely resolve to put him to death and to have the Law speak according to their minds and by that means make the Law a cloke for their shedding of bloud without any just cause in reason equity or conscience 'T is true they may do it but if they do then let them beware consider that Abels bloud cry●d from the ground Uriah's bloud cost David repentance And these frequent Scriptures forbid the shedding of innocent bloud and the heavy and grievous punishments that have attended murderers and that God may one day make inquisition for bloud at their hands I could wish that they would put on Iosephs resolution How can I do this wickedness and sin against God Unto all such as shall complot his death absolutely I say unto them again Beware that the Lord doth not render them according to their deserts And as for Iohn Lilburn if he die by the Law then may all men be satisfied in his death but if strength shall destroy him as Ioan did Abner then may I use those words of David 2 Sam. 3.33 34. Dyed Abner as a fool dyeth Thine hands were not bound nor thy feet tyed in Fetters of Brass but as a man falleth before wicked men so did'st thou fall FINIS