Selected quad for the lemma: land_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A28267
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A letter from a Christian friend in the country to another in the city
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Ro. Bl.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing B3036; ESTC R12918
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6,677
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8
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A Letter from a Christian Friend in the Country to another in the City WEE had lately sent downe into the Country Declarations from the Protector so called and his Councel holding forth the grounds and reasons of their proceedings as they pretend for securing the peace of the Common wealth a thing very plausible to palliate their assumed Power over us and our Posteritie We may wonder in the first place at their Nick-naming us a Common-wealth we being as under the yoak of an Arbitrary power no better then ear board Russian Slaves they having by a seeming necessity absolutely overthrown the honour interest and Freedom of the people of England by the abolishing of Parliaments frustrating our Fundamental laws Usurping a Law-making power leavying of money and Forces Commanding War and Peace by Land and Sea and making themselves the onely determiners of guilt or innocence of life or death of law or liberty as in the Case of the Caveleers Sequestration to a Tenth and Fifteenth part of Rents and Goods their Hellish rule of proceeding doth very much dissatisfie the Country notwithstanding all their small Reasons urged in order to a pretended securing the peace of the Common wealth as they most miserably miscall us upon occusion of the late Insurrection and Rebellion against themselves the greatest Rebels and most lawlesse Usurpers that as yet any History ancient or modern ever made mention of whereby they are becom odious to us notable and abominable all Europe over and I wish it were as affectually convincing as accusing in their own Consciences that they have crucified the Cause of God and their Country bet wixt these two State Thieves Usurpation and Oppression But our Lot dear Sir is fallen into that Age and part of the world wherein the mistery of Iniquity is working spiritually 2 Thess 28 9 10 He is now revealed whose comming is after the working of Sathan with all powers and signs and lying wonders and withall deceivablenesse of unrightenesse c. If we do but take a serious view of Antichrist either as he is the whole body or as he is this or that part we shall finde him in no other garbe then the form of a glorious Saint not onely deceiving the blind and ignorant world but as far as is possible even many of the very Elect themselves that which is the fore runner or rather occasion as I may so say respecting the concurrences of Gods permissive providence is mens not receiving the love of the Truth not the profession for how many have professed fairly upon a civill and Gospel account How many like Jehu have marched furiously that are now fallen off and have with Demas embraced the world How many have declared for Liberty against Tyranny who are now become as great Usurpers and oppressors as any How many seeming self deniers are become incomparable self-seekers How have they in a Saint-like simplicity seemed to slight the glory and greatnesse of the world who cannot now be contented with lesse then Principalities and Powers Nay even with the very Attributes of God himself what specious pretenders were they for the kingdom of Christ who are now become the Imprsoners and Persecutors of the Professors of it and divers other true and faithfull Patriots I mean Mr. Feak Mr. Rogers Lt. Gen. Ludlow M. G. Harrison M. G. Overton Col. Rich Mr. Cary Quart M. Gen. Courtney Coll. Allured c. and others who by their means have been laid or laid themselves aside as Collonel Okey Coll. Sanders Major Wiggam c. Do they not in their Declaration declare one a designer the other designed indeed the Moderation of the words was designed is remarkable it being disproportionable to the policy they steer by so tenderly to touch their reputations whose ruines they reach at their malice being sufficient to have proved them such offendors if they could but the service and sufferings of these men are Arguments invincible of their innocence untill by a fair and legall Tryall we be convinced of the contrary in the interim words will not make the world believe what was not neither will their reputation by such means be so soon blasted especially when they confesse in their Declaration they onely think them offenders But suppose those Englishmen had designed some endeavours for the making good their ingagements and calling off the yoak of Tyranny suppose they had invoked or invited the Army backslidden from the Cause of God and their Country to return to their obedience for the confirmation of our just Fundamental laws and Liberties for the right placing of the Soveraign power of the People in a lawfull Representative for relieving the oppressed and imprisoned who groan for deliverance from the bondage of these most mercilesse Task-Masters had they not hereby approved themselves brave and publique spirited Patriots will not such one day be received with a well done good and faithfull servants where their and our Oppressors shall stand with pale-faces and accusing Consciences before that God who will render to every man according to his works who will appear as witness against the swearer and forswearer who will make Inquisition for blood who will call the Apostates and Hypocrites to account for all their perjuries and oppressions hath not this Ell shaddy the most high God ever signally appeared against the proud and tyrannical Nebuchadnezzars of the world with all their projectors and Parasites In the interim dear Friend we may behold as in a glasse our present deplorable condition under a Government as they call it where the Will and interest of a State Junto is both law and evidence At this rate who may not be a designer and offender and accordingly declared and punished who would have believed about eight or ten years since we should have seen such lawlesse and imparrallel'd Impious proceedings who would have imagined that such publique spirits as the persons prementioned should so causelesly be kept prisoners by their fellow-servants who pretended themselves promoters but have proved perverters of piety and publike liberty persons of the same spirit with Strafford Canterbury c. Nay far worse who would have imagined that our Assertors of Law and Liberty would without Baise or Mainprize not onely incarserate the Bodies of our asoresaid Friends but also deny some of them the comfort of their nearest and dearest relations a sad requitall for their severall faithful services and sufferings they may in policy pretend what they please but are not these things most abominable in the eyes of a righteous God who although he hath an absolute soveraignty over the world punisheth none before they have sinned contrary to the laws of the Land and the very practise of Heathens who allowed Paul whom they accounted more dangerous and seditious then our Friends enemies can say they are the enjoyment of his friends 24 Act. 23. And he commanded a Centurian to keep Paul and to let him have liberty and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance much