Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	law_n	life_n	power_n	7,966	5	5.2131	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52677	An account from the children of light (to them that askes) in several particulars why we have been kept from joyning to, or worshipping in those formes at law, and formes of worships, that have been imposed upon us against our consciences, in these late years, for denying whereof, we have so deeply suffered, with our lives, liberties, and estates. : Also what we owne as to those things, and can be obedient to for conscience sake, according to truth, and the practise of the church of Christ, and the Scriptures.	Naylor, James, 1617?-1660.; Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing N256; ESTC R27517	31,099	57

we never knew nor had ought to doe withall Also about marriage which we know to be an ordinance of God from the beginning and being ordered in the Counsell of God and the bed not defiled is honourable but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge So as any are moved of the Lord into that state we say the Counsell of the Lord is first and chiesely to be minded and the thing weighed in his seare that it be done onely in the Lord that it be not taken on lightly rashly nor by any fleshly motion nor for any earthly ends but in the moving ordering of the Almighty Creator of man and woman who onely knows their spirits So to joyne them as they may be one in flesh and spirit that he may seeke a godly seed to himselfe and they may lead a godly and peaceable life onely thus is it Gods ordinance as God puts together and saith Christ let not man put such asunder and this we say is the chiefe thing to be observed viz. that God joyne them And next that notice be given to the parents or such as have the oversight of each party that as much as may be all may be done in love and unity in the will of God openly And this we have from God in Spirit and this we find in Scripture to be the ordinance of God to his Saints of old and their libertie in the Lord which God never altered which we keepe for conscience sake and may not breake And least any licentious persons should abuse this liberty to satisfie their lusts and then not live as man and wise during their lives and the Magistrates not know of them and so they escape the sword of justice we have freedome in our Spirits to acquaint some of the next Majestrates with our intents and hereby confesse our selves lyable to the just censure of the Magistrate with others in case of misdemeanour and all this we have done ere coming together as man and wife which is as much as the ordinance of God or any reas●n can justly require yet have some of us suffered in this case by the changable Laws of men who some of them have sought to impose one sort of Priests on us as an ordinance others Justices as an ordinance and others another sort of Priests againe so for denying these uncertain rules of men and keeping the ordinance of God that was in the beginning we suffer by all of them as evill doers yet have they not one charge against any of us who have been joyned according to this ordinance of God as to breach of marriage or misdemeanour therein for we ha●e putting away and come to that which was in the begginning These with many other things there be as touching the outward Laws whereby both our lives l●berties and estates become a daily prey to mercilesse men from which hath been manifest such imprisoning til death such persecution and spoyle of goods as many generations to come may admire to read of though in this generation its little regarded or minded unless it be by some few whose hearts God hath tendred that have not been so cruell in their places as others Now let none say that because we cannot bow to such unrighteous dealings of corrupt men or their corrupt Customes or corrupt Lawes That therefore we are a people that would have no Law nor Magistracy at all as some have falsely accused us for of this we are cleare before the Lord our God what ever men may accuse us ●erein for the Law of God we own in our Conscience even the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and Law-giver by which we are taught to keepe our Consciences voyde of offence towards God and towards men by which we are freed from under the power of the Law of sin and death And by this Law of God in our consciences are we also taught to be subject to every power our God shall set up over us by which teaching we know that the powers that be are ordained of God And by the same Law of God in our hearts and Consciences by which we are made to suffer rather then to obey that which is unjust by the same Law and upon the same penalty are we made to be subject and obey every just and wh●lesome Law of man for Conscience sake Therefore as the ordinance of God we obey and owne authoritie in the Nation And the Ruler of the people as the Minister of God for good to such as doe well but a terror to every evill doer without respect of persons so we being guided by the pure Law of God in our consciences are subject not for wrath but for Conscience sake for he is not a terror to them that do well and obey God in their Consciences But if any doe evill let such feare for he is the Minister of God and beares not the sword in vaine And for this cause we pay tribute to whom it belongs and feare to whom feare honour to whom honour And from this we exempt not our selves more then other people in the same Nation but desire rather to be examples to others with all diligence not speakinq evill of governments as many doe which will flatter to their faces but seeking to our God for what authoritie he shall ordaine that under them we may be godly and quietly governed without respect of persons Therefore we might say as to all the s●verall Rulers that hath arisen in these yeares since we were a people in Gods light which of them have we reviled or sought to supplant or what just law old or new which hath been just and according to Scriptures or a good Conscience have we denyed or transgressed though from the evill and abuse of all God hath by his eternall light and the power of his Spirit preserved us to this day glory to our God for evermore So our Consciences are cleare towards them that are fallen as to that thing by whom we so much suffered in their day And now in Gods dread and feare we are and in his pure Counsell alone we desire to be found towards you that are now come up into the seat of government That if by any meanes we might not be any occasion of offence or hardening of your hearts by our disobedience or denying any of your Laws which are just wholesome and good and according to Gods truth in Scriptures Nor that on the contrary we might provoke our pure eyed and zealous God and Father to displeasure against us by yeelding to any thing whatsoever or obeying what is any way against his Spirit in our hearts or the light of Christ in our Consciences And this at present is our straite way set before us to walke in towards God and towards man and therefore the desire and travaile of our soules is great at this day that you might be one with God in your Laws and

Land might have become as Sodom and not one have known the Lord nor his word And as it was in the dayes of the false Prophets so hath it been since the dayes of the false ministry for which many have suffered since the dayes of the Apostles for testifying against such as have erred in Spirit forme and doctrine from Christ Jesus and his Apostles And this hath been from the indwelling power of Christ in them and his precious light shining in their hearts and consciences that they have thus been preserved and enabled to beare the testimony of Christ against false worships and worshippers and so it is at this day in all who keepe a pure Conscience towards God in all his word and worship that his true and spirituall worship might not be wholly lost out of the world Also if at any time their Kings or Rulers forgot God or Kings arose who knew not God and then would lay upon them Laws and Commands which was not just an● lawfull for them to doe then by the light of Christ in a pure Conscience they was enabled to withstand it even unto death As that of Mordecai and the Jews who would rather all be destroyed then bow to Hammons pride at the Kings command though Englands people would have said this is but a civill thing and duty and good manners and the like yet Gods Law in their Conscience they preferred above all that the King commanded contrary thereto yea life and all would they lose rather then defile their Conscience towards God or deny his Law there though no Law without had forbidden such a thing Yet in other cases did they appeare true and subject to the King for Mordecai's truth saved the Kings life not long before though from man he had little reward for it Likewise might be Instanced that of Daniels praying contrary to the decrees of the King his Counsell of Presidents and Princes and that of the three children against the fierce Command of Nebuchadnezzar in denying to worship at his will and pleasure likewise that of the Apostles when their Rulers and Priests also charged them straitly not to preach any more their answer before authoritie was we ought to obey God rather then men yea it would be too long to tell how many godly men and women upon the account of a pure Conscience not onely hazarded their lives but lost life and all for the testimony of a tender Conscience as might be instanced But this may be said for all That if they would but have denyed the law of God in their conscience and conformed to the wills of men and their laws not o●e of all the Prophets Apostles or all the holy men of God need to have suffered death or spoyle So now in that any of us by the same spirit of Christ and from his light and law in our Consciences are moved to goe testifie against false Prophets false worships and declare the way of truth to all people against them to their face And if Rulers have been so opposite to this as to make laws against it and to command us to bow and worship at their wills which for Conscience sake towards God we could not for which we have suffered the spoyling of goods long and heavie imprisonments shamefull usings and losse of lives also I say in this we have a cloud of witnesses even the Lord Jesus our Captaine and the whole body of Martyrs who have all gone before us in the selfe same obedience of faith and Spirit and have suffered the same or such like things from Rulers that knew not God and teachers that knew not God in their dayes and all of them in their dayes was counted offenders hereticks or dispisers of Authority or some such reproach was cast upon them by their accusers and persecuters for obeying the law of their God in their Consciences whom the Rulers of the darknesse of this world have not known nor can know till they beleeve his light in their own Consciences So it is not for new things nor strange opinions which was never in the world before for which we suffer though to the world they seeme new and strange but for the very same workes of the same Spirit of light and truth which hath often appeared in a poore contemptible people and hath as often received the same measure from them who professe him in words but in workes deny him by such have we suffered who read and preach the same in words which this eternall Spirit in us now worketh And with such who with words garnish the sepulchres of those whom their fathers slew are we counted great offenders for being found in the same way and practise and in obedience to the same Spirit in that measure as we have received it So we have this added to the testimony of a good Conscience towards God and towards men that we suffer not for evill doing though as evill doers to wit the practise of holy men and the Scriptures of truth which will owne us herein and stand on our parts against all our adversaries and accusers And t●is will be proved so when we come to particulars wherein we differ from the wayes and worships of these present times and for which we are so much hated and persecuted And we know that it will not be found harmfull to the bodyes estates or well-being of any Christian neighbourhood nor of any other people in the nations to practise those things wherein we differ in civill and temporall things nor hurtful to the soules of any In the things wherein we differ in religious or spirituall matters from the severall opinions and formes of worships that are or have been set up in these nations As we shall make it plainly appeare if either Spirit of truth or Scripture of truth or things equall may but be received on our part Now we shall mention some particulars in which we differ for Conscience sake from some of the formes traditions and commands of the men of this present age and the powers that have ruled therein under whom we have therefore suffered as evill doers And first as to those things which some calls civill ANd indeed it may be wondered at by any moderate people that in a nation called Christians any man should suffer so much as to be called an offender for some of the things which I must mention upon this account especially they being layd upon us by the spirit of Christ as matter of conscience and by a people so highly pretending for liberty of Conscience As it hath been layd upon us by the Spirit of Christ to use the same single language to all sorts of people which the Scriptures uses and all the holy men of God therein have ever used that is to say thou to any one person and you to more then one A language sound and true to God and man which the Spirit of God first spoke and gave to man and of man

markets in the name of the Lord and by the Call of his holy Spirit How many hundreds have been imprisoned for preaching the everlasting Gospel of Jesus freely in Townes Temples streets and markets and from house to house which was the manner of Gods messengers in the name of his Son ever to doe and for which they suffered How many have had their cloaths rent off their backs and been shamefully beaten till they have been left for dead and afterward carried to prison for but asking a question or speaking a word in a Steplehouse while a man hath been speaking things doubtfull or not true though this was the way of old in which the servants of Christ walked and by which he gathered the Churches into God in Spirit and out of false worships And it was the manner of the Apostles to enter into Synagogues and places of worships both of Jewes and Gentiles on their Sabbath dayes and openly dispute there with them before their hearers and then whose hearts God touched lest their carnall worships and clave to Christ in spirit which is now become a greater offence to this generation then ever it was eyther to Jewes or Gentiles for I never read that simply for so disputing they either beat them or haled them to prison though they went sometimes three Sabbath dayes together into one Synagogue yea the fiery Jews who was set on mischiefe against that way yet this they could suffer in their Synagogue as is testified Acts 17.2 and saith the Scrip●ures this was his manner And in Acts●8 4 it is said he reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day at Corinth where he continued a yeare and six months teaching the word of God among them vers. 11. Now hath not this been the great offence of these dayes yea I may say the chiefest crime which the servants of Jesus Christ hath suffered for in this age and none scarce eyther ruler or teacher is able to beare it once which they could beare a yeare and above among Iewes and heathens so that this way of Christ by which the Churches was gathered called in the Apostles time is become more abominable in the sight of those that cals themselves Christians then it was eyther to Iewes or heathens And when neither laws of Iewes Gentiles nor heathens that was made in times of popery would answer their wills against this then ha●e they made new Lawes of their owne against this practise which themselves read believe and preach and this we cannot owne that men should withstand that in workes which they professe in words and seeke to impose it upon others who serve God therein by the Spirit of Iesus and then call themselves Christians and say the Scriptures is their rule who cannot beare it in them that practise it in obedience to Christ Iesus And this is that we contend for in all our sufferings and actings in the simplicity of our hearts that our Lord and Master Iesus Christ may have his Prerogative Royall restored to him over his body the Church and every particular member thereof his Lordship and Mastership given to him alone of all his children from least to the greatest and that none else force it or require it from him but that his headship alone over his Church his leadings and the seate of his Iudgements in every redeemed soule and conscience ma● be restored to him and that he m●y have 〈◊〉 name and authority therein and that none may presume to take his authority to themselves while they give him faire words call him Lord Lord but neither doe his will in their own consciences nor suffer them that would This I say is that we seeke now at the hands of men that are called Christians which by his own bloud and by the precious suff●rings in many of his obedient servants of old he once purchased out of the hands of the old persecuters and gave it as inheritance to his seed after him to all generations to call him head and Lor● in the● and over them in all things pertaining to worship and conscience as the Scripture of truth is evident And this we say in his behalfe and in the power of his name where ever he sends us that though his adversary of old hath taken this his purchased possession from him and now sits where he ought not commandding in conscience over his subjects and creatures compelling and forceing to obey his traditions and law from a carnall precept or tradition of men yet we say the right is Christs alone and the whole kingdome of God in every conscience he hath purchased with his bloud and great sufferings of old therefore we say to all sorts of people looke to him and walke in his light all that looke to be saved for we say he is a great and mighty one who though he have been as one gone a far jorney for a time yet he is returned and hath seene how his deare servants have been entreated and his little children spoyled of their birth-right and cast out of their purchased possession and heavenly kingdome and now strangers rule over their tender consciences and s●●ke to defile them with adultery and Idolatry which is against their spirituall birth and breathing and himselfe robbed of his authoritie and Scepter of his everlasting Dominion for which he will tread nations in his wrath and people in his hot displeasure even for Z●on● sake the Citie of his glory and he will spoyle the spoyler and lead Captivity captive and so will he make way for his inheritance to come into their habitation of ●est And this we say to ●ll people GIVE VP feare God and gi●e glory to his Name for the houre of hi● Judgements is come and he will have dominion as of old and his purchased possession as in anc●ent dayes But especially to you who are called Christians and mention his name and call him Lord and profess the Scriptures in words which testifies of him his sufferings and his purchase through bloud and the eternall anoynting of the Father sworne unto him by an everlasting Covenant that he alone shall sit on the spirituall throne over the house of David for ever that he may with his spirituall leadings gather the out-casts of Israel and present to God all the precious among the people have you not read you professing Priests and Rulers that it is he alone that is the light of the world and that God hath given him for a witnesse to the people a leader and commander that its he that 's appointed for a light to them that sit in dakness and in the shadow of death to guide their feete in the way of peace did God ever set any at the right hand of power but he alone that he might make his foes his footstoole of whom he saith when he brings him into the world Let all the Angels of God worship him have you not read that it s he alone that purgeth the