Selected quad for the lemma: end_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
end_n	law_n	people_n	safety_n	1,280	5	9.1725	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65231	The great obiection concerning the Quakers meetings fully answered Wherein, in several particulars, it is proved, that although the said people do meet together, yet they are not transgressors of the law, according to right reason, which is the ground and foundation thereof; and therefore according to equity and good conscience, ought not to suffer for so doing, neither ought their meetings to be supprest. By a lover of all righteous laws, and just government, and one unto whom such laws are not a terror, R.W.	Wastfield, Robert, fl. 1647-1665.	1662 (1662)	Wing W1034; ESTC R219415	4,743	10

THE Great Obiection Concerning the QUAKERS MEETINGS Fully Answered Wherein in several Particulars it is pro … That although the said People do meet toge●●●● 〈◊〉 they are not transgressors of the Law according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reason which is the Ground and Foundation thereof and therefore according to Equity and good Conscience ought not to suffer for so doing neither ought their MEETINGS to be supprest By a lover of all righteous Laws and just Government and one unto whom such Laws are not a terror R. W. The Law is good if a man use it lawfully for the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane c. and against any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1.8 9 10. The great Objection concerning the Quakers Meetings fully answered WHereas it is objected against the People called Quakers That they are transgressors of the Kings Law and therefore the sufferings which is inflicted upon them is just and the Magistrate bound by his Oath to inflict the same and that if they would free themselves from those sufferings they must unform to the Law and that they may not call those sufferings persecution for Conscience-sake but execution of the Law and Administration of Justice And forasmuch as the said people called Quakers are found in the practice of that which seems to be forbidden by the Law and therefore by many are judged transgressors of the Law these following particulars being seriously weighed and duely considered may serve to convince all sober-minded people that according to the true intent and meaning of the Law as it is agreeable to the righteous end of all Government the said people are not guilty of the transgression thereof and therefore in Equity and good Conscience ought not to suffer the penalties and undergo the punishments that are therein prescribed I. The just Laws of England and all Nations are grounded upon Right Reason and it hath been the declared opinion of the most able Lawyers yea and a Maxime among them That whatever Law is made if it be not grounded upon right Reason and hath not that for its foundation such a Law so made is in it self null and void II. And this Right Reason hath always respect to the good and well being of all people who are to be governed by such Laws to protect countenance and encourage the good in the well-doing and to discountenance and punish the contrary and to prevent men from doing evil and from hurting injuring and destroying one another and to keep all in peace and love that people might live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty And this is the righteous End of all Government and if any Law be made contrary to this End it s against the very Being and End of all just Government III. And the Reason of the Law is expressed in the Preamble to the Law or Statute and the Reason so expressed ought always to be the Rule of his or their Judgements both in the Exposition and Execution thereof who are intrusted with the Administration of the Law and Judgement ought to be given accordingly IV. And herein onely doth the Magistrate perform his trust and keep his Oath as he hath respect to the Reason on which the Law is grounded and makes that the Rule of his Judgement in all cases and proceeds accordingly and not in the strict observance of the Formalities and Punctillioes which are but the skirts and subburbs of the Law Reason being the very life and substance thereof V. And if any judgement be given or Law put in execution contrary to the Reason of the Law such a Judgement or Execution is in it self unjust and contrary to the Law and therefore may not be called Execution of Justice or Administration of the Law but Injustice and Oppression on whomsoever it is acted VI. And if that which is alledged as the Reason of the Law and ought to be the Rule of Judgement in the Administration and Execution thereof be not so in it self then such a Law so made is groundless and without foundation and as it s said Where there is no Law there is no transgression so where there is no cause found which is alledged as the Reason of the Law there being no transgression or evil committed there is no need of a Law VII Now the Reason exprest in the Preamble to the Law made against the Meetings of the People called Quakers is a suggestion that under pretence of Religious Worship the said persons do often assemble themselves in great numbers in several parts of this Realm to the great endangering of the publike peace and safety and to the terror of the people by maintaining a secret and strict correspendence amongst themselves c. These are the words in the Preamble to the Law as the reason thereof VIII And if the case were rightly stated and their Judgements truly informed who made this Law as concerning the end and intent of such Meetings and that they were really of such bad Consequence would produce such evil effects then it were good reason to suppress them and this reason were a good ground and foundation for such a Law because it makes provision for publike peace and safety and to prevent the contrary IX But if the case be mis-stated concerning the end and intent of such their Meetings and that it neither hath doth or can produce such effects as is suggested then there is no reason for such a Law and so no ground nor foundation and consequently no Law and where there is no Law there can be no transgression and in good Conscience ought to be no punishment X. And the Reason of the Law being the Rule of Judgement to every one in the Exposition Execution and Administration of the Law in order to the performing their Trust and keeping their Oaths inviolably if they are perswaded in their Consciences that the people called Quakers are not guilty of the crimes suggested nor their Meetings held to such intents nor do produce such effects as is alledged as the Reason of the Law such Magistrates so perswaded are not obliged by their Oaths to suppress such Meetings nor to inflict penalties and punishments upon the persons of them which do so meet together XI But we the people called Quakers have the Testimony of a clear Conscience in the sight of God concerning our innocency and the uprightness of our hearts in this particular that what is suggested against us as the end or intent of our meeting together never entered into our hearts neither was ever such effects produced through any occasion by us given and in this case we appeal to the Consciences of all Magistrates in England yea even to our greatest Enemies and to all the World Whether ever it were known or can be proved against us That we design any such things in our Meetings or whether