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A60639 Liberty of conscience pleaded by several weighty reasons on the behalf of the people of God called Quakers and also, on the behalf of others whose consciences are tender towards God : with a tender message of love unto the King / written by William Smith. Smith, William, d. 1673. 1663 (1663) Wing S4311; ESTC R4178 4,683 10

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hath restored them they answering in principle and practice those things which by others are in words confessed who say but do not perform which shews that they are in the weakness of the flesh in which none can please God but they that obey the Light and follow it they do those things that are well = pleasing in his sight and in the Light they are accepted and in this principle and practise the Quakers have fulness of joy and peace Now as concerning others who are not like-minded at present and yet in their Conscience are tender towards God and answers a Conscience unto God according to the perswasion that he hath wrought in them by his Spirit that they may not be suppressed because there is not any thing which is begotten in tenderness towards God that is to be crushed bruised or quenched by force or violence of any Law and whilest people behave themselves peaceably the Liberty of their Conscience in things pertaining to God ought not to be denied them and where it is so they that have power do not to others as they would be done by and so manifest that they are void of natural affections And these things I write that not any thing of God though never so low and weak in its rising may be crushed or quenched any way in its tender breathings so will truth peace and righteousness flourish in the Earth in the same life power and wisdom which was before trangression and persecution and puts an end to it again A tender Message of Love unto the King O King my speech is directed unto thee in all humbleness of mind and from the tenderness of my heart I write the matter which is laid upon me from the Most High let it therefore be received and entertained by thee as a matter of greatest weight and concernment unto thee for it is that only by which thou must either stand or fall Be it therefore known unto thee that the one blood of which God made all Nations and in which is life is the most Royal blood and the most noble and renownable of all things and by it alone all mankind have life breath and being amongst whom thou art one O King therefore thy Life not being in thy own hand consider who hath prolonged thy dayes and stretched out thy years who hath helped thee in time of straits tryals distresses and affl●ctions is it not God alone who also can cut thy days short and finish them in a moment Let this consideration be with thee in thy private chamber that thou mayest fear before the Most High and apply thy heart unto wisdom for by Wisdom Kings reign and Thrones are established and in Wisdoms path thou wilt find the footsteps of those poor despised people called Quakers who have hearkened to Wisdoms voice and walk with her in her own way therefore entreet them well for they are a people redeemed by the Lord and he hath chosen them out of Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and they are as dear unto him as the apple of his eye for he is their God and they are his people and of their innocency and peaceableness thou hast had large experience and hast not found them at any time to be rebellious though they have and do suffer great afflictions under thy power yet this is their comfort in all their afflictions that they do not suffer as evil-doers but as innocent from all just offences whereby they can approve their hearts unto God and to the glory of God they can enquire of all men if at any time they have wronged or injured or evil entreated any man since the precious truth hath entered into their hearts and if herein none can justly accuse them as certainly none can then the Lord wil not hold them guiltless that do in any wise oppress them for it is his cause they stand in the strength of men cannot overturn it Oh take counsel at the Light of Christ with w ch thou art enlightened and in the Light thou wilt feel the Life of these poor despised people and as thou com●st to feel their Life in the Light then will thy love be towards them but if thou hate the Light in thy own conscience thou canst never know them as they are and so instead of being a Nursing Father to them thou mayest add to their afflictions as being ignorant of them for none can know them but in the Light of Christ by which they are changed and renewed in the spirit of their minds and translated into the heavenly life which the earthly Wisdom cannot comprehend Oh! let no counsel enter into thy heart to cause thee to turn against this people but pursue thy promises which thou hast made and so often renewed touching Liberty of Conscience for the performance of those promises will be of greater strength and security unto thee then all the strength that others can give thee to defend thee who with reasons would or may overcome thee to make thy promises void and thereby cause thee to add afflictions upon the innocent who at this day bear the burden though every way they seek thy good and concerning whom I do believe that thou hast a perswasion in thy own heart touching their innocency and if thou take heed unto that which doth at any time perswade thee that they are an innocent people it will yet more perswade thee and will work thy heart into love towards them even as theirs is towards thee to do thee good in any wise and as they are a free-born people within thy dominion and have an outward portion in the same with wives children and families who are ready to do good in all places where they are seeled let it not enter into thy heart to spoile them or banish them from their native beings and birth rights and from husbands wives children and relations who are not all like-minded in the Truth Therefore O King have regard to this weighty matter upon which thy own happiness so much dependeth for if thou do wel it may be well with thee but if otherwise the Lord God will be clear when he judges Nottingham Country-Gaol the 2 d day of the 2 d mo 1663. I am a sincere lover of thy immortal soul W. S. THE END