Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	act_n	adulterer_n	adultery_n	52	3	9.3645	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93700	The first addresses to His Excellencie the Lord General, with the Assembly of elders elected by him and his Council for the management of the affairs of this Commonwealth; as also, to all the cordial officers and souldiers under his command. Containing certain rules & directions how to advance the kingdome of Jesus Christ over the face of the whole earth. By John Spittlehouse, a late member of the Army, and a servant to the saints of the most high God, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and whom all dominions shall serve and obey, Dan. 7.27.	Spittlehouse, John.	1653 (1653)	Wing S5008; Thomason E703_19; ESTC R203632	22,947	31

the mind and will of God or the mind and will of the aforesaid supporters or practitioners therein Again Did not the judicial law of Moses serve to decide all controversies tending to the violation of the moral law and is it not now as able to serve us to the like purpose But put the case it should not be able so to do are we therefore left at liberty to cut and chuse to punish that fault with death which is appointed by God to be healed by restitution and that crime with purse-punishment for the which death was to be inflicted and so to add and diminish at pleasure No certainly in such cases we are in no wise permitted by God to diminish one tittle thereof but rather to supply what is defective therein But there is no ground for any such jealousie to arise amongst the people of God as to think the said law to be deficient in the least it having the character of perfection stamped upon it Psal 19. 7. yea to be holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Yea doubtless such a law as if put in practice by you which I do hereby in the name of God adjure you to do would doubtless be a chief means under God to convert his antient people the Jews we receiving their law they our Gospel we their Moses they our Christ which happy conjunction was certainly predicted at the transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the mount where Moses and Elias viz. the Law and the Prophets are said to associate and bear testimony of him as well as the word or voice from heaven or his Church Yea even in that his glorified condition which doubtless did typifie his rule and government in his Monarchical kingdome as aforesaid at which time there should be a sweet concurrence and harmony betwixt the Gentile Saints and Jews a fitter obligation then which to unite them together I think cannot be imagined and which once effected would be the greatest earthly glory to the Saints of God in General that ever was yet attained as also to the Angels in heaven who doubtless would also very much rejoyce thereat Now for the better understanding of my meaning touching the aforesaid judicial Law It is to be observed that in the writings of Moses there are divers sorts of laws as the Ceremonial and Judicial Laws which Ceremonial Law is wholly abolished by Christ they being only types and shadows of his bodily substance which when once come the other was to be done away by gradations until he gave up the Ghost saying It is finished at which time it was wholly accomplished and abrogated with all its appendancies Again the judicials are of three sorts viz. 1. Such as are annexed to the moral Law as the punishment of Adultery and murther and disobedience to Parents with death and such like 2 Or such as were appendant to the Ceremonial Law as the punishment of those that touched any dead thing or that came neer a woman in her monthly courses and such-like 3 Or such as belonged to that peculiar policy and State of that Commonweath as concerning the year of Jubilee the raising up seed to the brother departed in marrying his wife and the like Of which two latter there is no doubt but the first is abrogated together with the Ceremonies whereon they attended the other as proper to that Government is also now determined for otherwise the like course must be now taken for raising of seed as was then which Law Jesus Christ affirmeth that Moses made meerly because of the hardness of the Jews hearts as in the case of the woman that had seven husbands which saith he from the beginning was not so there being then but one woman to one man and one man to one woman and so doubtless most if not all the Laws of that tenure So that the third kinde of Judicial remaineth onely to be put in practice about which this following Quaery doth arise viz. Quaere Whether the punishment inflicted by Moses for the breach of the moral Law together with the moral Law is imposed by God upon all Christian Magistrates so that they are obliged to the same 1 In that by such a practice it would quite overthrow the policy and institution of this present Commonwealth which for a long time hath continued 2 In that our Saviour commanded to give tribute to Caesar by which act he did enjoyn obedience to those higher powers which did at that time bear the sword albeit they were Heathens 3 Inasmuch as our Saviour himself observed not the judicials belonging to the Moral Law for where he that gathered sticks on the Sabbath-day was stoned to death by Moses Our Saviour excuseth and defendeth his Apostles who did as much as in effect by plucking up ears of corn on the Sabbath day and rubbing them in their hand for their sustenance Mat. 12. 4 In that he giveth a rule that it was not lawful for a man to put away his wife except for the cause of Fornication and Adultery Mat. 19. which exception needed not if either in fact then or in right afterwards Adulterers and Adulteresses were then to be put to death 5 In that he also suffered the woman taken in the very act of Adultery to escape without punishment of death Joh. 8. 6 In that the continual practice sheweth that there was no Law in force at that time to put such like malefactors to death instance also the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5. which the Apostle willeth onely to be excommunicated Resp Touching the imposition of the aforesaid Laws in relation to the essential parts thereof that they are not left to the liberty of a Christian Magistrate to add any thing thereunto or to take from it or in the least to alter it so as shall be thought meet for the present time or manner of the Country I think I have formerly said enough to satisfie any rational man as that by giving way thereunto they would not onely grapple with God himself in point of wisdom but that they would also thereby put themselves into such a condition as that they might altogether leave those divine Laws Commandments and rules of Justice and that at pleasure which the Lord God of heaven and earth hath set down for a rule and direction to observe and contrary whereunto they cannot be approved in the sight of God or godly men 2 As concerning the practice thereof whereas it is alleadged that the putting in execution of the aforesaid judicials would quite overturn all the policy and institution of the present Commonwealth I answer that it is to that very end and purpose that I do propound the same to be put in execution by you For by how much you retain the present policy and institution of this Commonwealth by so much you bid defiance to the aforesaid Laws of God himself as I have plentifully proved 3 Whereas it is alleadged that neither Jesus Christ or his Disciples or successors did ever

yet assume the power to put the aforesaid Laws in execution I answer that the aforesaid persons have ever been under restraint as captives or sojourners and therefore were always under the Laws of them that were Lords over them viz. heathenish Magistrates and therefore were in no wise permitted to make use of the aforesaid Laws of God As in the time of Jesus Christ his abode upon earth doth cleerly appear by the Answer which the people of the Jews whom the aforesaid Laws properly concerned gave unto Pilate at the arraignment of Jesus Christ before him in point of blasphemy where they tell him that by their Law they could put no man to death No not for that very crime of blasphemy which they accused him of which doth cleerly import that the Scepter was then departed from Judah and a Law-giver from betwixt his feet the promised Messiah being then come and amongst them albeit they were ignorant thereof and yet are to this present day 4 Whereas it is alleadged that Jesus Christ himself did not practice according to the said Laws c. I Reply That it was because as a man he was under restraint as the rest of the Nation of the Jews and therefore had no more power then they to null or make void the then present Laws of Caesar 2 in that his kingdom was not of that present world he being at that time in a suffering condition his then appearing in the flesh being onely as an example of patience to all his Disciples So that all the former objections do not in the least prove that the aforesaid Laws are in the least abolished and if not the Laws then consequently not the aforesaid judicial punishments for by how much the Law of God was then restrained by so much the said punishment was not put in practice but this restraint was to continue but its appointed season viz. until such times as Jesus Christs world should be made apparent in which he should reign as King over the face of the whole earth according to the afore mentioned prophesies which kingdom I judge took place as soon as the fatal blow was given to the late King which being done immediately the late Parliament did utterly renounce the Government of this Nation by Kings as Tyrants as appears in the Old Exchange where over the place where the late Kings Portraicture was fixed is ingraven Exit Tyrannus Which doth cleerly import a change of the government from such Kings as the Israelites defired to be governed by in 1 Sam. 8. 5. unto that Government which they were formerly governed by as by Judges c. and so consequently of the Laws according to the saying New Lords New Laws which did also cleerly appear by the late Act of Adultery where they made the sin punishable by death which doth cleerly manifest that the late late Parliament was carryed on though in darkness to put in execution the aforesaid Laws of God instance the also the late Act of the Lord General if as reported in not permitting Simple Theft to be punished by death Which are two evident testimonies that the Lord is stedfastly purposed to promote his own Laws in stead of the present Laws of the Nation And therefore if you will set your selves with all your might to prosecute the same you will thereby be made famous to all posterity for thereby you will not onely be made Conquerors over the whole earth as in the aforesaid Prophecies but will also be instrumental to the conversion of the ancient people of God viz. the Jews Yea I dare aver that if you will set your selves to the aforesaid work with a cordial resolution to erect the aforesaid Laws of God and Ordinances of Jesus Christ you will strike as great a terrour into all the Nations about as the Israelites did to the Canaanites or David to Nabal when he marched against him For indeed what flesh dares oppose the Laws of their Maker and the Ordinances of their Redeemer And therefore I beseech you deal uprightly and with a sincere heart in the great work of God before you even as in the presence of God and be not like your predecessors with a heart and a heart one for Christ and another for Antichrist with a heart to abolish Prelacie and not Presbytery to take away Bishops Deans and Chapters lands c. and yet to retain Presbytery and their Tythes with a heart to punish the seventh Commandment according to the punishment appointed by God and not all the rest of the said Commands For be you well assured that if you halt as did your predecessors betwixt light and darkness Christ and Antichrist God and Mammon like the luke-warm Laodicean and that either through the corruption of your own hearts or the subtil politick and Jesuitical designes instigations or allurements of any your neerest and dearest friends or alliance in the whole world the Lord will as well spue you out as he did your predecessors of whom it is reported That they were Sermon-proof If it be expected by any that I should have drawn the aforesaid Laws and Punishments into a method I answer that I have forborn the same in that they will very shortly be published in print by an able man who hath extracted the same and is now ready for the Press I desire therefore that that which I have here written may not be slighted because it doth not proceed from one that is eminent or adorned with Titles of Honour or in a great place of Trust for Solomon telleth you of a poor wise man that did every way equalize the greatest Magistrates in the City where he lived in point of wisdom albeit they were too stately to take any notice of it which he esteemeth as one of the evils which he perceived under the sun and that a great one Eccles 9. 13 c. Again peradventure some of you will think I have been too bold with you as you are the Supreme power of the Nation And if so I must reply with David's words The righteous are as bold as lions and will not fear what man can do unto them Besides it is not the first time that I have put Magistrates in minde of their duty as will appear by my book titled Rome ruined by White-hall c. In the Preface to which Book I told the late Parliament that they were like to Martha cumbred with much business by reason of the clamours of the people whose chief affections were taken up in obtaining a flourishing state with the appurtenances thereunto viz. a full trade c. but that there was but one thing necessary which was far from the peoples thoughts and I feared not very neer theirs viz. the erecting of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ which I said ought to be their chief object in that the other would fall of course as our blessed Saviour affirmeth Matth. 6. 33. a Chapter worthy your serious meditations in this your present employment for doubtless Providence doth as well extend it self over the whole Nation as over one particular person or sparrow or hair of a mans head But such is the frail condition of our natures that we dare not trust God with our temporals I did also in minding them of the Clergie of the Nation use these following expressions viz. Sure it is you have found that Tribe as much averse to your proceedings as had you not been valiant might have utterly obstructed the work of God in your hands And withal told them that so long as they permitted such Judas 's it was impossible that the State should ever be in quiet so that they must either resolve to suppress them or to be suppressed by them To which purpose I did also at that time admonish them to bestir themselves like men of valour by giving them a full overturn and that both root and branch as also by giving way to such gatherers of Churches as did practice according to the rule prescribed in Gods word So that the true Churches and Ministers of Jesus Christ might be distinguished from them of Aarons order and withall told them that in so doing we should be put into the like condition as were the people of God at Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians and thereby not only bring glory to the Nation but also immortalize their names to all posterities as also that Jesus Christ had been so pleased to make them the first tender of honour to restore his Church to the Primitive purity thereof which was a thing they had very often engaged themselves to performe Whereupon in the Epilogue to the said book I admonished them in these following verses saying And therefore hear O Kings and Rulers all Harke with attendance listen to the call That doth invite you for to entertain Christ for your King who is resolv'd to reign 'Ore you and yours either by love or aw But rather doth desire that love may draw Your hearts for to comply to bear his yoak If not then know there is a heavy stroak To be laid on you with an iron rod Even by the hand of a provoked God The which will crush your power and make you know That as in things above so here below He hath the Kingly power and will direct All such as he intendeth to protect And hath not the same been compleatly fulfilled upon them for their negligence therein And therefore I desire once more that you would learn by their harmes to beware least the same punishment befal you as it hath done them which the Lord in much mercy prevent by making you such persons as is mentioned in my Epistle to the Reader viz. such as are clothed with the white robes of the Lambe Christ Jesus to the end the prediction at the close of that Epistle may be accomplished by you viz. Take notice Rome even in the same White-Hall Where here thou hadst thy Rise thou hast thy fall Postscript IF any desire the Book they may have it at Giles Calverts Shop at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls FINIS